Follow Your Heart
by secretscribe89
Summary: The Davis family is nothing if not united. As life throws them one curve ball after the next, they stand strong together and help each other get through whatever challenges may be ahead. One common theme always remaining constant... Love. Alexis. Sam/Alexis. Davis girls (plus Danny). :)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Alexis smiled to herself from her perch on the deck where she comfortably laid in the sun, a book in hand and a cold drink at her side. Breathing in the fresh lake breeze, she lifted her sunglasses and admired the view from where she was. The lake was beautiful, but even more beautiful were the people enjoying it. She chuckled to herself, watching as Danny jumped off of the dock with a squeal and into his mother's arms as she waded in the water. Molly, of course, was snapping pictures with her new water proof digital camera. Their little Davis boy loved the water just as much as the girls did. Alexis herself, on the other hand, was perfectly content watching from the sidelines.

Sliding her sunglasses back down on her nose, Alexis laid her head back and took in the warmth of the sun. A perfect summer day spent in the sun with her family. Nothing could be more perfect… except maybe if it was her whole family. She missed Kristina. The selfish and protective mother in her had to fight the urge to call and guilt her home every day. But she knew that she was doing what she wanted to do and she was succeeding. She had to admit, she was shocked when her daughter announced she was moving to Greece to study art. But part of her was extremely proud. She was embracing her roots (as twisted as they may be) and she was thoroughly enjoying her time there. And it warmed her heart to know that her daughter was living where she spent her childhood and learning the language she grew up with.

Alexis felt her body relax and her mind begin to wander. The summer sun had a way of doing that… and she wasn't about to fight a nap. Letting out one last sigh she felt herself drifting to sleep, just before she was jolted awake when a cold, wet, little body crawled on top of hers. She opened her eyes and lifted her sunglasses to find a pair of smiling blue eyes and a toothy grin staring at her from the end of her nose.

"My Gumma!" Danny giggled as he laid his head on her chest and wrapped his arms around her.

"Hello, my honey!" Alexis chuckled and hugged him back, kissing his head. She looked out to the yard to find Sam and Molly running up after him, both laughing hysterically.

"Danny!" Sam managed to get out between laughter as she bounded up the stairs, "Baby, you're all wet!"

Danny looked up at her wide-eyed, as he continued to cuddle in his grandmother lap, his tiny little arms wrapping around her midsection.

"Sorry, mom…" Sam couldn't suppress her laughter as Molly snapped a picture of the sight in front of them.

"Molly Lansing Davis!" Alexis scolded, causing Danny to lift his head curiously, "I am in my bathing suit!"

"Moooommm…" Molly whined with a smile, "You two look so cute!"

Danny turned back to his grandmother with a cheeky grin, "Tute, Gumma!"

"Oh, sure, cute…" Alexis rolled her eyes and then began tickling him, "I think you're a cute Danny!"

"Tute!" Danny exclaimed through his laughter.

"Are you guys hungry for some lunch?!" Alexis paused tickling, looking over to her eldest who had taken residence on an identical deck chair.

"Starving!" Sam answered dramatically as she lay back on the lounge chair and soaked in the summer sun.

"What about you?" Alexis addressed the little boy in her lap, "You hungry?"

Danny nodded, "Hungee!"

"Hungry! Yes!" Alexis smiled before kissing his cheek and helping him climb off of her and onto the deck. She sat up on the edge of her seat, "Kelly's sound good?"

"Yes!" Sam nodded emphatically, as she continued to sunbathe with her eyes closed.

Molly bounced up from the deck floor, "I'll go get dressed so I can go with you."

"I go?" Danny pointed to himself, looking between his aunt and grandmother.

Alexis smiled, "Of course you can. Go with aunt Mol and get dry clothes!"

"Come on Danny!" Molly held out her hand to Danny before guiding them both into the house.

Alexis grabbed her sun dress off the back of the chair, glancing over at her daughter, "Comfy?"

"Mmhmm…" Sam nodded, "I'm really sorry Danny ruined this for you. It's amazing."

"I know." Alexis, now fully dressed sat back down on the edge of the lounge chair, "You guys looked like you were having a lot of fun down there."

"We were." Sam smiled as she sat up and pushed her sunglasses atop her head, "Danny loves the water. He's not afraid to jump right in and swim around with his little lifejacket on."

Alexis smiles, "I know, I saw him. He certainly takes after his mother."

"Yeah," She smiles, "Mom, you sure you don't want me to go pick up the food? I really don't mind. You can stay here and rest." She started to get up before being stopped by her mother, who sat her back down in the chair.

"No, my love, you deserve a little alone time, too." She kissed her head, "How are you feeling, anyway?"

"I'm fine, mom…" Sam sighed, tired of hearing that question, "I'm really fine. You can stop asking me that."

"I'm sorry" Alexis held up her hands, "You did just get out of the hospital."

"3 days ago…" She eyed her mother, "For nothing, I might add."

"Sam… It's wasn't nothing. It isn't nothing." Alexis began to scold before she was interrupted by Danny bounding out of the door.

"Papa!"

The two women turn swiftly to the front steps as Danny bounds into a pair of open arms.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Glad there is interest in this story. The Davis girls are my reason for watching GH, so I'm glad to hear others feel the same way. :) Not to worry... your questions will be answered eventually. We're in this together, so I welcome aboard anyone who wants to come along for the ride! ;) **

**Also- it should be mentioned that the character of Garrett that you will meet in this chapter is an original character of mine. It's pure coincidence that he has the same first name as former Mayor Garret Floyd... I actually completely forgot about that smarmy dude. My Garrett is nothing like him, so I implore you all to forget about that Floyd guy as well. ;)  
**

Chapter Two

"Garrett." Alexis stands up from her seat, unconsciously smoothing the front of her dress.

"Lex," The handsome older man smiles to her, and then turns back to Danny with a kiss to his cheek, "Hey buddy! How are you today?"

"Fwimmy!" Danny points to the water.

"You want to go swimming?"

"No," Alexis quickly answers, watching as her daughter stands up from her respective lounge chair, "He, uh, actually just finished swimming."

"Oh," Garrett smiles charmingly, "Did you have fun?" Chuckling as Danny nods, he then notices Sam standing beside her mother, "Hi, Sam."

"Hi." Sam smiles cordially as she crosses her arms.

"Ahem," Alexis clears her throat, "Um… So, what brings you by, Garrett?"

"Oh, uh," He sets Danny back down on the deck where the little boy retreats to his toy dump truck in the corner. "I was just, uh, feeling a little out of sorts about the way we all left things the other night so I thought I'd stop by and… you know, just to see you…all."

Sam watched as his eyes shifted between the two of them and then landed on her mother where they both stared for a moment, prompting her mother to draw a deep breath and look away.

"That's very nice of you…" Alexis meets his eyes again, this time with a small smile, "You could have called."

Garrett chuckles, placing his hands in his pockets, "You're right. I could have."

"Um…" Sam uncrosses her arms and heads to over to Danny with her hand outstretched, "Come on, honey, let's go get lunch—"

"No, Sam..." Alexis stops her and moves to pick the little boy up, hoisting him on her hip. She gives her daughter a reassuring smile, "I told you, I'm getting lunch… it's my treat." She turns around just in time to see Molly exiting the house with a smile.

"Garrett! Hi!" Molly was pleasantly surprised to see the man standing on her deck.

Garrett nods to the smiley young Davis girl, "Hi Molly."

"Come on, Mol." Alexis pulled her keys from her purse, "Let's go pick up lunch, hmm?"

"Oh… kay…" Molly looks around, sensing the uncomfortable atmosphere before following her mother and nephew to the car.

Garrett watches as they leave, and then with a heavy heart, turns back to Sam, "That went well."

"I'm sorry…" She winces.

"It's okay." He shrugs, "Can't say I didn't try."

Sam couldn't help but smile at his charming defeat, "She's hurt… and she would kill me for saying this, but… I think she's a little scared."

"Sam…" Garrett took a deep breath, meeting her eyes, "I would never, ever cheat on my wife. You have to know that. I really thought…"

"I know," She nods, "I believe you."

He could tell by the look in her eyes that she really did believe him. He knew, because there was a time when she didn't. There was a time when he thought she would never believe anything about him. "How are you?"

"I'm good." Sam laughs slightly, "Thanks for not asking how I'm feeling… even though I know that was implied." She watched as he tried to hide his grin, "I'm feeling fine. I really am."

"You had a pretty nasty bump on your head…" He could no longer hide his concern.

"I'm fine." Sam reassured, "Trust me." She glanced down at the bandage on his leg, "How's your cut?"

"Oh this? It's nothing." He dismisses, "Dr. said we can take the stitches out at my next appointment."

"Good," Sam nods, her face growing serious, "Listen… I want to thank you for all that you did that night. I mean. If it wasn't for you…"

"Hey… you don't have to thank me." Garrett shakes his head, "You really don't. It's the least I could have done. I mean… I kind of have a lot to make up for."

"No you don't…"

"Sam… seriously," He places a hand on her arm, "I'm just glad I was there."

"Yeah." She nods as her eyes grow teary and she wraps her arms around him. "Me too."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Double update day! LOL. Posting new chapters is helping to keep me motivated so I'm taking advantage of my day off to do just that. ;) **

**And be patient with me... I promise your questions will be answered and everything will make sense. Just maybe not in this chapter... ;)**

Chapter 3

"Mom, I just don't understand why you won't at least talk to him?" Molly pressed on as they entered Kelly's. She watches her mother set Danny down in front of her.

"Can you walk nice and hold my hand please?" Alexis kisses his head when he nods obediently and they continue their walk to the counter.

Molly was tired of being ignored, "Mom!"

"Molly," Alexis snapped, keeping her voice low as to not cause a scene, but her grandson looked up suddenly, noting the change in demeanor, "Please, enough, okay?"

"Well, I'm just saying… You know why he came over instead of calling."

Alexis sighed, "Molly. Enough."

"Natasha!"

She looks up suddenly, and blinks a few times to ensure her eyes weren't deceiving her, "Luke?"

"Yes." He leans over the counter to smile and wave to the little blue eyed toddler holding tightly to his grandmother's hand.

"What are you doing here?" Alexis asks, dripping with accusation.

Luke glances to Molly, "Well someone's in a great mood today…"

"Oh, dear God," Alexis rolls her eyes, "Can I just order my lunch please?"

"Certainly, Natasha darling," Luke nods, picking up the order pad, "And for your information, in case you forgot, this place is Spencer owned and I am…"

"A Spencer," She nods, knowingly, "Right. I just thought you gave up menial labor for bigger and better pursuits but I suppose I was mistaken."

"Gumma! Up!" Danny's little voice sounded from knee level.

"Well, you are right." Luke smirks as Alexis bends down to Danny's reach and hoists him up to sit on the counter, where he grins happily to 'Mr. Luke'. "I did give up menial labor. But, alas, I do have to do my part from time to time around here. Especially since your boy toy left…"

"Ah, ah, ah," Alexis glared, covering Danny's ears, "Do you mind? And Sean is not my boy toy… anymore."

"Ew." Molly squirms, shaking the thought from her mind.

With another roll of her eyes, Alexis releases her hands from her grandson's ears, addressing him face to face, "What do you want, baby? You want chicken fingers?"

Danny nods, sitting up a little straighter, "Fen fy!"

"And French fries," Alexis smirks, turning to Luke, "Did you get that?"

"Got it," Luke jots down the order with a laugh, "And a Veggie burger for Miss Molly. And two Bacon cheese burgers for the Natasha and Samantha."

"Thank you." She smiles, happy they finally moved on. Hunger wasn't helping her mood.

"So what's the problem, Natasha?" Luke turns back from the order window with a smile, "What has your panties in a knot?"

"Luke!" She warns, "Nothing. Stop it!"

"Mom's not talking to Garrett." Molly flinches when her mother's head snaps in her direction.

"Molly Lansing-Davis. Would you kindly mind your business?"

"Nope." Molly smiles, lifting Danny from the counter and into her arms, "Not until you do." They scurry away from the wrath and over to the arcade machine.

Alexis exhaustedly turns back to her friend and takes a seat on the barstool, "How did I end up with such smart asses for daughters?"

"Ha!" Luke throws his head back in laughter, "If only I had a mirror…"

"Shut up, Luke."

"So what's this about you not speaking to Gerard, hmm?" He questions lightly as he slides an iced tea to her.

"Thank you." Alexis draws a deep breath, "_Gerard _and I don't need to talk. I have nothing to say."

"Well, have you thought about the fact that maybe he has something to say?" Luke raises a brow, much to his dear friend's dismay. "Something for you to listen to?"

"Luke." She sighs, looking up to him, "You know I've danced this dance much too many times before. I can't deal with it. I'm too old… I can't play the lying game anymore. That's it." She shrugs matter-of-factly as she takes a drink of her iced tea.

"Why do you automatically assume that he was lying?"

"Oh I don't know… maybe because that's all he's ever done?"

"It _is_ his job, Natasha." He countered.

"It wasn't his job 34 years ago." She raises a brow.

_Order up!_

Luke sighs before turning around and retrieving the two take out bags from the window and setting them in front of his friend on the counter, though reluctant to release them, "For what it's worth, Natasha, I've dealt with a lot of cons in my time. Gerard isn't one of them."

Alexis stared at him for a moment before rising from her seat and taking the bags, "Thanks for the tea."

"You bought it." He shrugs.

She shakes her head with a laugh as she retrieves Danny and Molly and walks out the door.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Couldn't help myself. One last chapter update for today. :) This story won't be updated at this pace very often... I'm just anxious to get these first couple chapters out there. After this, questions will begin to be answered... I PROMISE;) **

**And please review. Let me know what you think! The story is far from finished... so any ideas/opinions that my readers might have are more than welcome! **

Chapter Four

Sam approached the living room with a cup of tea and her phone in hand as she checked her messages. She stopped short when she heard her mother's soft voice, and smiled when she saw two heads snuggled together on the sofa.

""If you run away", said his mother, "I will run after you. For you are my little bunny"." Alexis spoke sweetly, reading from the page as Daniel pointed.

"Bunny!" He exclaimed, looking up at his grandmother for affirmation.

Alexis smiles and nods, "Yes, that's the little bunny. Who's that?" She points to the larger bunny on the cover.

"Gumma!" Daniel giggles

"No, silly!" Tickling him as he laughs, she looks up when she sees Sam descending the steps and then taking a seat in the chair. "I'll give you a hint." She points to her daughter, watching as Danny grins slyly.

"Momma!"

"Yes, his momma." She kissed her grandson's head before he climbed over her, dragging his blankie, to the chair and onto his momma's lap.

"My momma." He snuggled into her chest, holding his blanket close to his face.

Sam looked down at him and smiled, "You and grandma having story time?" She kisses his head once he nods.

"Someone's getting sleepy, huh?" Alexis smiles as she sets the book down on the coffee table and picks up her cup of tea.

Sam watches her mother cautiously, "Mom, are you okay?"

"Yes, honey," She nods, with a smile before sipping her tea, "Why wouldn't I be?"

Sam gives her a knowing glance.

"I'm fine, Sam. I am sorry if I made things awkward earlier…"

"Oh, mom." Sam shook her head, "You didn't at all. Don't even think about that."

"I don't want this to affect you and Garrett's relationship. You have to know that I really am so glad you are getting closer… I'm so happy for you."

"Of course I know that. I'm happy too." She smiles to her mother, and then her face falls slightly as she looks down at Danny, "I just wish that you were still happy for yourself."

"Sam…" Alexis sighs, "I am happy, sweetie. Really, I am. I have the 3 best daughters and the best grandson in the entire world. Don't worry about my happiness."

"You're my mom… of course I'm going to worry about your happiness." Sam assured her mother, "And you don't have to pretend that you aren't upset. I saw your face today…"

"Honey, I'm sorry. I just really don't want to talk about this. Whatever is going on between Garrett and I…" She pauses, "Well, there isn't anything." She shrugs, "Whatever it may have been… I mean, it's done. It's best for both of us if we just maintain a cordial relationship."

"Okay… but you can't run off the minute he comes around." Sam admonishes, before watching her mother visibly shrink into the sofa.

"I know. He caught me off guard today… It will be fine in time." Alexis sips her tea and lays her eyes on Danny who has fallen asleep clutching his blanket. She smiles, "He's asleep."

Sam smiles down at her son and pulls him up on her shoulder before rising from the chair. She leans over to her mother, kissing her cheek, "We love you…"

"I love you too, baby." Alexis smiles and runs her hand through Danny's light brown curls, kissing his head, "Grandma loves you, Daniel. Good night."

"Night, mom." Sam rubs her sleeping son's back as they leave.

Alexis sighs, clutching her warm mug to her chest as she sinks further into the sofa.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: This chapter contains the first of many flashbacks in this story. I can't promise you we will fill in all of the blanks right away... but this chapter will give you a little insight. **

**Please read and review. I love hearing whatever the readers have to say. Keeps me motivated ;) **

Chapter 5

"_Thank you," Alexis smiles as Garrett pulls out her chair and she takes a seat. _

"_You are very welcome." He takes his own seat across the table. _

"_You know I didn't realize it until now," She picks up her menu, "but I am starving!" _

"_Let me guess… you didn't eat today?" He raises a brow. _

"_Yes!" She defends, then shrinks into her menu, "I had breakfast." _

"_Lunch?" He questions, tongue in cheek, suspecting her answer. _

_She casts her eyes up to meet his, "Didn't have time." _

_Garrett shakes his head with a chuckle, "Some things never change." He watches when she smiles sheepishly before lowering her menu and looking at him seriously. _

"_Garrett, thank you for this. Going to dinner with you is just so nice." _

"_I should be thanking you. It's been a while since I had a beautiful woman to take to dinner once and a while!" _

_Alexis gazes into his eyes, noticing how they dance when he smiles. The man was right, some things never change. "Well, then, I guess we both win." _

"_Yeah, I guess we do." He lowers his menu and clears his throat nervously, "I uh… kind of have some news." _

"_Oh! News?" Alexis was curious, and maybe a little nervous. _

"_Yeah. I um… I've decided to move to Port Charles. Permanently." Garrett watched as Alexis' face registered what he had said and he waited for a sign of recognition. A smile, maybe?_

"_Oh." She said quietly, looking down and playing with her napkin nervously. _

"_I signed a lease on an apartment across town…" He paused, "Lex, if this is a problem…" _

"_No!" She protest quickly, then chuckled a little. "I'm sorry. No. It isn't a problem. I just wasn't expecting it. I mean… your life is in Manhattan." _

"_Not anymore." Garrett smiled, "It's here. A lot has changed in the past few months. One thing is for sure… my life is here." _

"_Garrett..." Alexis was touched and she felt her eyes begin to sting with tears. She reached over the table and took his hand, "If this is what you really want, than I'm happy for you." She smiles, "and I'm happy for me." _

"_Really?" _

"_Of course," She nodded, "Sometimes I can't even believe everything that has happened." _

"_I know," He shakes his head to reiterate his disbelief, "I pinch myself at least 3 times a day. I'm starting to get really bruised…" _

"_Oh!" Alexis laughed, still holding his hand and her gaze into his eyes. _

"_But really," Garrett's face grew serious and his voice emotional, "My life is so full now. I mean, less than year ago I was just a lonely, aging, investigator. And now…" _

_Alexis wiped a tear as it fell to her cheek, "And now?" _

"_I am so happy." He smiled brightly, his blue eyes still managing to sparkle even in the dim light. _

"_You know," Alexis cleared her throat and sniffled away her tears, "Never in my life did I think this would happen. Never." She smiled as she yet again, gazed into his face, "But I'm so glad it has…" _

"_Me too…" Garrett lifts her hand to his lips, placing a soft kiss upon her knuckles. _

"Alexis?" Anna stood in the doorway of her friend's office, watching as she clicked the pen in her hand and stared into space, "Alexis?!"

No response.

Anna walked towards her, raising her voice, "Alexis… Hello?"

"Huh?" Alexis snapped out of her daydream and turned in the direction of her friend, surprised to see her there, "I'm sorry Anna, how long have you been standing there?"

"I don't know…" She shrugged, taking a seat in a chair in front of Alexis' desk, "Long enough to see that you are not all right."

"What?" She defended, "I'm fine. Really, I am. I was just thinking."

"Just thinking, hmm?" Her friend raises a brow, prompting Alexis to throw her a glare.

"Yes. So what brings you up here?"

Anna draws a breath and sets a file on the desk, "Well, two things. First, I need you to sign the two forms in there for your statement from the other night."

"Sure." Alexis nods, opening the envelope and promptly applying her signature.

"And it's lunch time." Anna smiles, taking the file back from her friend, "I think it's a good day to have lunch and catch up."

"Oh, Anna." Alexis smiles, but then gestures to her desk, "Thank you for the offer, but I really have so much to do."

"It's only lunch, Alexis." Anna rolls her eyes, "Come on. You can take an hour away from the day. The work will still be here when you get back."

"Yeah, it will. That's the problem."

"You either go to lunch with me now," Her friend narrows her eyes, "or I will sit here and pester you until you tell me what you were thinking about just now that had you so frustrated you almost clicked your pen into oblivion."

"Garrett." Alexis sighs, sinking back into her chair.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:**** Thanks for the reviews! I hope the story continues to draw you guys in. I will do my best to keep it as interesting as possible, if the readers promise to let me know what you think! :) I can't write what you want if I don't know what it is... ;) **

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 6

"_She said there's nobody there by that name…" _

_She watched as her friend lowered the phone back to its cradle, "What do you mean? Like he moved out?" _

"_Like she didn't know who I was talking about." _

"_But that doesn't make any sense." She shook her head and began to pace the room, "Maybe she misunderstood you… or maybe she's new there?" _

"_She said she was the director. She is the owner of the house." _

_Now dizzy from walking in circles, she took a seat on the edge of her bed, "No… there's some kind of mistake. Maybe there is another place." _

"_Lex…" _

"_What?" She snapped and felt fresh tears sting her eyes at the realization, "Lisa, you don't understand. He told me he would call. He always calls. There is something wrong…" _

"_Lex, I told you." Her heart was breaking for her best friend, "I'm sorry… but I don't think he was being completely honest with you." _

"_No." She shook her head as the tears fell, "NO! He wouldn't lie to me. He loves me, Lisa. He told me!" _

"_I'm sure he does…" Lisa smiled as she shifted her seat from her bed to her friends, "What's not to love about you, Lexie?" _

_Her eyes rested on her friend as she was frozen with the realization, "He lied to me…" _

"_I'm afraid so." Lisa watched as her usually strong friend crumbled before her. She took her into her arms, "I'm so sorry…" _

"_He lied to me." She spoke softly over her friend's shoulder as tears streamed down her cheeks, "He lied to me…" _

"Lied to me." Alexis stirred in her slumber, "He lied…" Rolling over, her eyes suddenly popped open and registered the time from the alarm clock by her bed; 4:47am. She sighed, turning on her back to stare at the ceiling. Why couldn't she just sleep? It wasn't enough that her mind ran a mile a minute all day long… it ran a mile a minute all night long too.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm her pounding heart. If she tried to force herself to sleep for the remaining hour of the morning, it was going to be hell to finally peel out of bed at 6. So instead, she made her way into the kitchen, while pulling her hair up in a pony tail and yawning as she pulled out the coffee pot and filled it with water to begin brewing. Glancing at the microwave clock, she rolled her eyes; 4:56am, "Of course time will move as slow as humanly possible."

Alexis sat at the kitchen table nursing her fourth cup of coffee and reading the morning paper when she looked up and smiled when she saw Sam entering the kitchen, yawning and pulling her hair up much like her mother had done over an hour earlier. "Good morning sweetheart."

"Morning." Sam forced a smile as she reached for the coffee pot, noticing its half empty state. She looked back to her mother, "How long have you been up?"

"Hmm?" Alexis questioned, looking at her daughter over the rim of her glasses to see her hold up the half empty pot, "Oh, that's not too fresh, honey." She looks back to her paper.

"I don't care about that, I make mud, remember?" Sam pours her cup and takes a seat at the table with her mother, "I asked you how long you've been up to drink that much coffee already?"

Alexis smiles up at her daughter, "Just a little while."

"Couldn't sleep again, huh?" Her daughter raised a knowing brow, prompting Alexis to remove her glasses, tossing them on the table, and pick up her coffee cup.

"Sam, I'm fine."

"Okay." She sips her coffee.

"I am! You know, for someone who hates being asked about how she is… you sure take it upon yourself to project that on to others…"

"And apple not fall far from tree, Mother." She narrows her eyes, bringing a smile to her mother's face.

"Touché," She places her hand under Sam's chin, squeezing her cheeks, "Good thing I adore you, my cookie face."

"Love you too, mom…" Sam laughs and once she regains full function of her face, grows serious, "But really, mom. I love you and I can't help but worry about you."

"Honey, I told you," She smiles, "I'm fine. I am just fine."

"I hate it when you do that."

"What?"

"Insist that you are fine when you are so far from fine…"

Alexis raised a brow, "I'm sorry, how did you say… apple not fall…"

"Okay, okay," Her daughter surrendered, "I get it. But I just wish you would talk to me." She watches her mother carefully, "I know that you are afraid…"

"Oh, Sam…" Alexis scoffed. "Afraid? Afraid of what? I am not afraid!"

"Well you're afraid of coming between Garrett and I…" Sam knew if she pushed right to the heart of the matter her mother would shut down.

"Yes," Alexis nodded, "I just want to make sure that none of this affects your relationship, I told you that."

"But it's okay that it affected yours." Her daughter raises a brow.

"I didn't have a relationship with him, Samantha."

"You didn't?" Sam's eyes widen as she gestures to herself.

"Don't be smart," Alexis scolded. "But listen, I am so thankful that the truth came out when it did, because if it hadn't, I might…" She stops and simply takes a large gulp of coffee.

"You might what?" Sam pushed on, "You might have gotten more serious? You might have had a relationship… _again._"

"No." She stated simply, before leaning forward and taking her daughter's hand, "I really appreciate your concern… and you know I love you more than my own life… but I really don't want to talk about this anymore, okay?"

"Okay…" Sam gave in, "Only because it's 6:30 in the morning and I haven't finished this cup of burnt coffee yet…"

"Thank you." Alexis went back to her paper.

Sam smiled when she looked towards the door and found Danny wandering in, sucking his thumb and dragging his blanket across the floor. "Good morning, baby!"

"Mihk?" Danny stopped and pointed to the refrigerator.

"Whatever you do, don't pass go, Danny." Alexis shakes her head with a chuckle as her daughter rose from her seat, kissing her son on the head as she passed him and headed to the refrigerator. Alexis pushes her chair back and holds out her arms for the sleepy little boy, "Come here, love-bug." She kisses his cheek once he climbs into her lap.

"You slept in today." Sam glances at the clock before setting his cup in front of him.

Alexis smiles at her daughter's comment. Danny's usual early rising didn't bode well for her daughter's poor opinion of the morning. "What do you say to mommy?" She asks her grandson.

"Tan-too." Danny's morning voice was soft before he went back to his milk.

"You're welcome, baby." Sam smiled to her son as he cuddled in his grandmother's arms and enjoyed his milk. "Did you tell grandma we're going fishing with Papa today? Maybe you can get her to come with us!" She watched as her mother quickly recovered her surprised reaction and narrowed her eyes.

"No, I don't think I will be able to go fishing today… But are you excited?" Danny nodded when Alexis addressed him, "You get to use your new Nemo fishing pole, huh?" She kissed his cheek when he nodded again, his eyes a little wider that time.

"Aunt Molly's going too."

"Good, so you will both be able to keep an eye on this one and make sure he doesn't go overboard…" She hugged him a little tighter, resting her chin atop his head.

"He's not gonna go overboard…" Sam shook her head.

"And you will all wear life jackets…" Alexis raised a brow in warning.

"Yes, mother." Sam sighed before getting up to refill her coffee.

"Well, that boat is small." She defended.

"Mom, it isn't that small…" Her daughter retook her seat.

"It's small enough, Samantha. Wear your life jacket." She watched as Sam averted her eyes to her coffee cup, "Sam…"

"Mom," She chuckled, "You gotta let it rest."

"Fine." Alexis stood up from the chair, passing Danny to Sam's lap with a kiss to his head, "I'll be sure to get them all out of the garage before I leave for work."

"Okay." Sam humored her mother as she watched her leave the room. She rocked her son side to side, "Your grandma's crazy, Danny."

"Cayzee" Danny smiles up at her.

"Yeah." Sam laughs. Her son was catching on quick.

Alexis walked into her bedroom and laid her robe on the bed before taking a seat and pulling her nightstand drawer open, where she retrieved a bound journal from inside. As she opened it, exactly what she was looking for fell out and landed on her lap. She drew a deep breath as a wistful smile crossed her lips and she admired the photo of a young handsome boy standing at the helm of a boat, in swim trunks, with a gleaming smile on his face. Turning it over, she ran her hand over the inscription on the back, "My one love: August 1979".


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Happy Sunday everybody. :) Thank you for your reviews and continued interest. **

**I hope you enjoy this next chapter and let me know what you think. :) **

**Thanks again!**

Chapter 7

"_I'm sorry, who did you say you were looking for?" He eyed the petite brunette standing in front of his desk. _

_Sam looked down at the paper in her hand, "Um, for a Gerard Moreau?" She looked up hopefully. _

"_I'm… I'm sorry," He stuttered, "What brought you here?" _

"_I'm obviously in the wrong place." Sam moved to leave. _

"_No… Mam, please come back." He stood up and walked around to the front of his desk, holding out his hand, "I'm Garrett Newman." _

"_Hi," She shakes his hand, "Sam Morgan. I'm sorry… but do you know Mr. Moreau?"_

"_No…" He recovers, clearing his throat, "I mean… yes. I do… I did. He's my brother." _

"_Oh!" Sam was pleasantly surprised, "You did? I mean… do you know where I can find him?" _

"_No… I'm sorry, but he's passed away." Garrett watched as the young woman's face fell. _

"_Oh…" Sam met his eyes, "I'm really sorry to hear that. Um… I'm sorry for your loss." _

"_Thank you." He clears his throat again, "How did you find me?" _

"_Well…" Sam laughs, slightly uncomfortable, "I have resources. I'm a private investigator." _

"_Oh!"He was surprised, "Did my, uh, brother do something wrong?" _

"_No… no, nothing like that." She smiles, "It was more of a personal investigation." _

"_Okay?"_

"_He knew my mother years ago." She explained, "When they were really young. And I guess… well, I don't know the whole story, but I guess one day he just disappeared and she never saw him again." She watched him clearly growing uncomfortable, "I'm sorry… I'm over stepping. I really should go." _

"_No… no, you don't have to." He stopped her again, "So, you wanted to find my brother for your mother?" _

"_Not really… in a way, yes…" She nodded and then drew a deep breath, "It's odd because I couldn't find very much on him… no records really to speak of, but his name was connected to yours and you, obviously, were connected to this office." _

"_Oh, yes, well… I handle my brother's affairs."_

"_Right," Sam lowers her brow, curiously, "Was it recent? I mean… when he died?" _

"_Gerard died a long time ago." Garrett explained hastily, "A long time ago." _

"_Oh. Okay." Sam nodded with understanding, "I'm, uh, I'll just be going. Thank you for your help." She smiled before leaving the office, closing the door behind her. _

Garrett turned and looked at the group that was fishing at the back of his boat. His family. He thought back to that day… who would have thought that they would be here, together, enjoying the summer sun. Who would have thought that in a year's time, he would have built relationships that he could no longer live without.

And that was truth. As he enjoyed his time with Sam, Danny, and Molly… he couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if things were different. If she was there with them, laughing, and teasing him about his ability to drive a boat without endangering the lives of his passengers. And she would, of course, be wearing a lifejacket…

"Papa! Yook!"

He was finally drawn from his daydream by Danny who was holding up his fishing pole with a tiny squirming fish on the end, "Wow! You got one!"

"He did." Sam laughed as Molly snapped a picture and Garrett made his way to the back of the boat to help unhook the victim.

"Fishy!" Danny smiled proudly as the fish was being removed.

Garrett held it up to Danny's sight, "Say, bye-bye to the fishy."

The little boy waves, "Buh-bye fishy." His face falls slightly as he watches it get thrown back in the water.

"That was a good job, Danny!" Sam praises her son as she baits a worm on to the end of his hook, "I knew you'd be a good fisher-boy."

"Yep!" He nodded excitedly as his mom helped him cast his pole back into the water.

"I think this is your lucky fishing pole. Good thing Papa got this for you for your birthday, huh?" Sam winked to Garrett as Danny nodded.

"Yah. Neeeemoh!" Danny pointed to the orange fish on the reel of his little pole.

"Yep." Sam chuckled, turning to Molly, "Will you watch him, Mol?"

"Of course!" Molly smiled as she scooted closer to her nephew, promptly taking a hold of the strap on his lifejacket.

Sam made her way to the front of the boat, she smiled as she approached Garrett, "Hey."

"Thirsty?" Garrett smiled, handing Sam a bottle of water.

"Yeah, thanks!"She smiles, "And thank you again for taking us out here today. Danny loves fishing."

"He's definitely a little water baby." Garrett chuckled, admiring the young fisherman who was chatting away with his aunt at the back of the boat.

"He is." She says astonishingly, "He would jump right in and fish from the water if he could. Precisely why Molly's holding the strap to his jacket there…" She gestures and they both share a laugh. "Mom gave her strict instructions to keep her eyes on Danny at all times and a tight grip on his life jacket. Oh, and she also instructed that we all had to wear lifejackets as well."

Garrett laughs, "Is that why they were all laid out by the door?"

"Yes." Sam takes a drink of her water, "She was sure to get them out of the garage before she left. She said your boat is too small."

"What?" He looked around, noting the roomy area.

"I know," Sam shrugs, "She's crazy, she can't help it."

"Stop…" Garrett smiles, "Don't call your mother crazy. She loves you. This boat is full of her babies, how would you expect her to react?"

"I know." Sam retreats.

"How is she?"

"Mom?"

"Yeah…" He nods.

"She's okay." She watches as he nods, "When was the last time you talked to her?" She understood his glance, "I figured as much."

"I think it's over, Sam… and I can't blame her. I respect her for it, actually…"

"Come on…" Sam was so tired of the defeatist attitudes.

"No, I'm serious. She has ever right to write me off."

Sam raises a brow, "I just wish she would give you a chance to explain."

"She has. And she didn't believe me. Which is her prerogative." He shook his head, "I've made a lot of mistakes. Especially the day you showed up in my office."

"Hey…" She puts her hand on his arm, "It was more complicated than that and you know it. I thought we were past that."

"Yeah, well… I don't think all of us are." He takes another drink of his water and looks out onto the lake.

"You know," Sam gets his attention, "For what it's worth… I've never seen mom as happy as she has been these past few months. She loves you." She watches as he looks away again. Now it was his turn not to believe.

"I don't know about love…" A sad smile had crossed his face when he turned back to her.

"Well, I think she does." Sam wasn't backing down, "Why else would she be pushing away as hard as she is? If she didn't love you… what would she have to lose?"

"I don't know," He shrugged, "Maybe it's not about that. Maybe she's just gotten to the point that she doesn't want to deal with this anymore."

"Deal with what?"

"Me."

"You're nothing to deal with." Sam smiles, "You're someone to cherish… to thank God for."

"Sam…" Garrett was touched. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She gave him an affirming nod, before heading to the back of the boat.

Garrett smiled as he watched Danny hold his pole steady so that his mother could place another worm on the end of the hook. Who would have thought a little fishing pole would give a kid so much joy. He glanced down at the picture tucked in his dash from the little boy's birthday party.

_Standing by the open screen door, with his glass of water in his hand, he watched the Davis girls crowd around their little boy at the table as he opened his gifts. The whole room was decorated with balloons and streamers and a huge banner that said "Happy Birthday Danny!" Alexis had gone all out for her grandson's second birthday and he could see why… the little boy had her heart. He was such a sweet, charming, and intelligent child… and he brightened her world. Garrett loved watching them together, and how both of their faces lit up when either was in the room. She was so beautiful… especially in these simple moments, where she was surrounded by her family, serving cake to her guests, and happily snapping photos of her grandson as he tore the wrapping paper off of his gifts. _

"_Oh my goodness!" Alexis gasped playfully to Daniel before meeting Garrett's eyes with a smile. _

_Danny's face was as bright as the sun as he held up his new fishing pole, "Neemoh!" _

_One thing he had been quick to learn was Danny's obsession with "Toy Story" and "Finding Nemo". When he saw the "Finding Nemo" fishing pole and tackle box, he had hoped it would be a hit. From the looks of things he was right. _

_Alexis leaned in close to her grandson as he inspected the gift, "These are from Papa! Can you say thank you?" _

"_Tan-too!" Danny squealed causing everyone in the room to laugh. _

_Garrett smiled to Sam when she looked up at him happily. He walked a little closer to the table, "Now, we can all go out on my boat and try it out… see if we can catch any fishies! How does that sound?" _

"_Fishy!" Danny exclaimed happily. _

"_Yeah!" Alexis turned to Garrett with a smile in her eyes, "come here so I can get a picture of you two!" _

_Garrett rolled his eyes playfully as he walked over to the table and stood behind Sam and Danny's chair. Alexis got into position to snap the picture just before Molly jumped up from her seat. _

"_No, wait wait wait!" Molly exclaimed, ripping the camera from her mother, "Get in the picture, mom!" _

"_Molly…" Alexis sighed, walking over to the table as Sam stood and handed Danny, who was holding his fishing pole and tackle box, to Garrett. She looked up at him when his arm found its way over her shoulder, she couldn't help but smile._

"_Okay!" Molly exclaimed, "Say cheese!" _

_With Sam on one side, Alexis on the other, and Danny in his arms, Garrett couldn't help but wonder what could possibly be better than that very moment? Nothing, that's what. _

"_Cheeeese!" _


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:****This is a Flashback chapter. It originally had another scene tired in with it, but it really was significant, so I decided to let this stand alone. I hope you enjoy it. :) **

**As always... any reviews that readers are willing to take the time and leave are so appreciated. And a special thanks to the readers that are doing just that. ;) I love hearing all of your comments and you are really keeping me motivated. Thanks! **

Chapter 8

_Sam looked up when Spinelli opened the door and entered their office, visibly surprised to find her sitting at her desk._

"_Fair Samantha!" Spinelli exclaimed, "I didn't expect to see you here!" _

"_Yep." She sighed, focusing back on her work, "I'm here." _

"_Well?" He was waiting with baited breath, "Did you find Mr. Moreau?" _

"_Nope." _

_Spinelli furrowed his brow, "Fair Samantha, is something wrong?" _

"_No…" Sam retreats, "I'm sorry, Spinelli. I'm just a little frustrated."_

"_So the address came up empty?" _

"_No…" Sam sighed again. "It didn't come up entirely empty. The address is a Garrett Newman's office."_

"_Garrett Newman?" Spinelli inquired, folding his arms. _

"_Yes. He is apparently, Gerard Moreau's brother." Sam nodded, "He, I guess, takes care of his brother's affairs." She drew a deep breath, "According to him, Gerard Moreau died many years ago." _

"_Oh." Spinelli's face fell, "I'm so sorry… I know how you were hoping to find him." _

"_Yeah, well." She shrugs, "I mean… I didn't know what to expect, really. At least I have an answer, right?" _

"_Yes…but you don't seem completely convinced of its merit." _

"_I don't know…" Sam dismisses, "It's just me… still hoping that it's not true, I guess." _

"_Maybe it isn't?" _

"_I can only take his word… there are no records for the name other than the address that I found." _

"_Which, I'm sure, is why the judicial one has always been so discouraged and… er… rather secretive about the situation." _

"_Maybe," She shrugs. _

"_Did you inform her of your findings?" _

"_My mother?" Sam raised a brow as Spinelli nodded, "No…" _

"_Well, you told her where you were going today…" He watched Sam for an answer, but she didn't respond, "You didn't? But she knows that you've been looking into…" Sam simply looks up to him with wide eyes. "Forgive my intrusion, Fair Samantha, but don't you think your mother has the right to be informed?" _

"_Spinelli… my mom has never been willing to discuss my father. She always grows uncomfortable and I can tell it makes her upset. I don't want to do that to her." She shrugs, "And now, I don't have to tell her." _

"_But it is closure… maybe she needs it. Maybe she will open up?" _

_Sam thought for a moment, then shook her head, "No. It's not necessary. I just want to forget this ever happened. I mean… this doesn't change anything. I've gone 33 years without even knowing my father's name… what's the difference in knowing he's dead?" _

_Spinelli could tell that this was bothering his friend and colleague more than she let on. He realized something, causing his face to brighten, "Well, at least one good thing came of this!" _

"_Yeah, what's that?" She busied herself with the variety of papers a strewn on her desk. _

"_You met an uncle that you never knew you even had! Maybe he can give you some insight into what your father was like?" _

_Sam looked up quickly in realization, "Yeah, I guess you're right. Maybe he can." _

_After work that day Sam arrived home at the Lakehouse to Molly playing on the floor with Danny who was standing up in front of his aunt, holding both of her hands and squealing at the site of his mother. "Hi, baby!" She set the pile of files in her hands on the table and kneels down to Danny's level. _

"_There's mommy, Danny." Molly cooed as she stood up carefully, still holding Danny's hands, "Let's show her what we were practicing today!" _

_Sam watched as her sister guided Danny towards her who was taking one careful step at a time and giggling the whole way. She felt the tears sting her eyes as Molly let go of the little one's hands and he walked 5 steps and landed in her arms, "Oh my Goodness! Danny! You're walking!" _

"_A little bit…" Molly smiled happily, watching her nephew wrap his arms around his mother. _

"_Aunt Molly is such a good teacher, huh, Danny?" Sam sniffed away her tears as she rocked Danny in her arms, "Mommy is so proud of you!" They all smiled before Sam was startled by a loud bang coming from the kitchen followed by the sound of her mother's voice. _

"_Damn-it!" _

_Sam turned wide-eyed to her sister, "What was that?" _

"_Mom's cooking dinner…" Molly sighed as her sister laughed. _

"_Oh no…" Sam couldn't stop laughing, "So what do you want for dinner, Chinese or Pizza?" _

"_I heard that!" _

_The girls both look at each other before their mother appears from the kitchen, in an apron and wiping her hands with a towel. _

"_Hello, Samantha." Alexis narrows her eyes, knowing it was her eldest was mocking her cooking. _

"_Hi, mom…" Sam chuckled. _

"_Stop. Both of you." Alexis scolded as she descended the stairs. _

"_So what's for dinner?" Sam raised a brow as she cuddled her son close, "Chinese or Pizza?" _

"_Neither!" Alexis crossed her arms, "I'm making Chicken Parmesean. It's in the oven." _

"_You mean… you cut, pounded, and breaded chicken?" _

"_Yes…" Molly intervened, "I can promise you, she pounded it." _

"_Oh come on now," Alexis rolled her eyes, and then addressed her daughter with a smile, "Did your son show you what he learned today?" _

"_Yes," Again tears sprung to Sam's eyes as she hugged him close, "My baby's getting so big!" _

"_Yes he is," Alexis cooed to Danny, tickling his belly, before she shifted her eyes to her daughter, "How was your day?" _

"_It was good…" Sam shrugged, kissing Danny's head as she sat him back on the floor with Molly, "If you guys don't mind, though, I do have a couple calls I need to make before it gets too late." _

"_Sure, honey." Alexis smiles as she watches Sam pick up her files and head down the hallway. _

"_You think Sam's okay, mom?" Molly asked as she built a block castle with her nephew. _

"_I don't know, sweetie. I think so. Why?" _

"_I don't know. She was just acting a little weird." _

_Alexis took a seat on the sofa in front of where Molly and Danny were playing, "She's probably just a little stressed… it was a long work day for her." _

"_Yeah."A smile crossed Molly's face as she watched Danny pull himself up and walk a few steps towards his grandmother, giggling when he reached her lap. _

"_Look at you!" Alexis chuckled as she lifted him into her arms and kissed his giggling face, "I just love you so much!" _

_Sam took a seat on the edge of her bed and pulled out the folded piece of paper in her pocket that had the two familiar names on it; "Gerard Moreau" and "Garrett Newman". She dialed the number and drew a deep breath as she listened to the ring on the other end. _

"_Um, yes, hi… Mr. Newman? It's Sam Morgan… I spoke to you earlier?" She smiled, "Well… I, um… first I'm sorry if I intruded on your privacy today... Okay. Well, there might be something you can do for me… I would like it if we could meet in person again? I was hoping maybe you could tell me a little bit more about your brother… you know what he was like?" She furrowed her brow at the response on the other end, "Oh. Okay… I just… yes, I understand. Again, I am sorry… thanks." She hung up the phone and let it sit in her hand for a moment as she once again felt tears sting her eyes. She quickly wiped them away before getting up from the bed and crumpling the paper into a ball before throwing it in the waste basket by the door. Closure. _


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Hello everyone! Thanks again for your continued interest, follows, and reviews. I really appreciate the feedback! **

**Here is the next chapter. Again... it's a flashback chapter. I've decided that I wanted to get this important background chapters out there before we delve more into the "present" time. :) **

**Hope you enjoy it! **

**P.S. Was a quick edit... please excuse any errors. **

Chapter Nine

"_Sam?" Alexis knocked on her daughter's bedroom door a little harder when she heard the hair dryer buzzing, "Sam?" _

"_Yeah," She turned off the device so that she could hear her mother, "Come in… I'm in the bathroom." _

"_I'm looking for…" As Alexis let herself in the room she sighed when she heard the hair dryer turn on again. She poked her head in the bathroom, "I can't find the receipt for Danny's shoes…" _

"_What?" Sam yelled to her mother as she ran the curling brush through the front of her hair. _

"_The receipt," Alexis yelled, "For Danny's water shoes!" _

"_Um… did you check the garbage?" Sam asked innocently, knowing that it's exactly where she put it. _

"_Sam!" Alexis scolded. "I told you I was going to return them." _

"_I'm sorry… check the garbage," She continued to yell over the hair dryer, "My garbage!" _

"_No problem," Alexis rolled her eyes as she reclosed her daughter's bathroom door and picked up the small waste paper basket and began rummaging through a variety of papers a wrappers, "Don't worry about it… I'll just stick my hand in your garbage and find the receipt that I clearly told you to keep." She mumbled to herself, "I swear if any of my children ever listened to a word I said…" She pulled out a ball of paper and uncrumpled it. _

"_Find it?" Sam shut off the hair dryer and covered her eyes as she sprayed her hair, "Mom? Did you find it?" _

_Alexis stared at the paper in her hands and the name at the top. _

"_Mom?" She turned off the light and went back into her room in pursuit of her mother, "You know what, I think maybe it's…" She noticed her mom standing with the paper in her hands, "Mom?" _

_Alexis met her daughter's eyes, "What is this?" _

"_What?" Sam approaches as her mother swiftly holds up the paper. _

"_This, Sam." _

"_Mom…" She looked away, cursing herself for being so careless, "Shit." _

"_Sam… how did you find this person?"Alexis waited for her daughter to answer, "Sam. Answer me."_

"_Mom… please it's not a big deal." She watched as her mother's eyes widened. _

"_Not a big deal? How do you know what kind of deal it is?" _

"_Because I looked into it and I know that it isn't a big deal! What is with you anyway?! It's just a name!" _

"_Don't patronize me. It's not just a name, Sam. And you know that just as well as I do." Alexis was trying to stay calm, but the thought that her daughter went behind her back was making her furious, "Why wouldn't you say something to me about this?" _

"_Why?" Sam raised a brow, she was quickly losing her patience, "I don't know. Maybe because I knew you would react like this." _

"_So… what? You were just going to call this number or go to this address and find this person and never tell me?"_

_Sam shook her head before matching her mother's fierce eyes, "Last time I checked, mom… I had a right to know my father."_

"_Did you ever think of asking me first?" Alexis yelled, "Did you ever think that maybe there is a reason why I never have told you about him?" _

"_I don't know!" Sam shrugged, "But did __you__ ever think maybe there was a reason why I didn't tell you! Why would I want to upset you like this?" _

"_Not telling me is upsetting me!" Alexis threw up her arms. It had been a long time since Sam had seen her mother so upset… especially with her, "You have no idea what you are getting yourself into! Do you know how dangerous this is?! Do you have any idea what kind of people you are dealing with?" _

"_What are you talking about, mom?" Sam was annoyed with this game, "You act like Gerard Moreau was some kind of serial killer or something. Why don't you just tell me what the big deal is?"She watched as her mother stared at her, and suddenly she was scared that maybe she was right. Unfortunately, her own anger prevailed over any guilt, "You know what? It doesn't even matter. I don't care. He's dead anyway, so you don't have to worry about it anymore." _

_Alexis felt like she had been punched in the gut and tears immediately sprang to her eyes, "What?" _

_Sam brushed her hand over her face, "I'm sorry…" She sighed, "I'm really sorry mom… I didn't mean to talk to you like that." _

"_He… He's dead?" She sat down on the edge of her daughter's bed and stared at the paper in her hands. _

"_Yeah," Sam nodded, her voice softening as she watched her mother, "I, um… I went to that address to try and find him." _

"_You did?" Alexis furrowed her brow, "You went to Manhattan? When?" _

"_Um… the other day… when I left early for work. I took the train." Sam approached the bed and sat beside her mother, "I'm… I'm really sorry I didn't tell you. And I'm even sorrier I told you like that." _

_Alexis nodded and looked back down at her hands as tears spilled to her cheeks, "What… uh… what happened to him?" _

"_I don't know." Sam shrugged and pointed to the paper, "The address on that paper… it's not his. It's his brother's office. And that's his brother's phone number." _

"_Oh." _

"_I went there looking for Moreau and found Garrett." Sam paused as her mother's teary eyes met hers, "That's when he told me that his brother had passed away. He didn't tell me how… he just said that he has always handled his brother's affairs since his passing, so that's why his address is listed." _

"_That's it?" _

"_I didn't push it…"Sam sighed, "I felt like I was making him uncomfortable. So I left after a few minutes." _

"_I'm…" Alexis choked on her tears when she looked into her first born daughter's face. Suddenly she saw him… she saw the man that left her so many years before, "I'm sorry, honey… I'm so sorry." _

"_It's okay, mom…" Sam reassured sweetly, taking her mother's hand. _

"_No, it's not." Alexis shook her head as the tears continued to fall and her breathing became erratic, "If, if I had told you about him sooner… maybe you could have found him… maybe you could have known…" She stopped talking when Sam shook her head. _

"_No… his brother… Garrett… he said he died a while ago. Many years ago were his exact words." _

_Alexis held back her tears and nodded before Sam continued._

"_I actually called him back the other night. I left his office so abruptly that I thought maybe I could meet up with him again and tell him more about who I was and then maybe he would open up a little about his brother" Sam shrugged before taking a deep breath, "That didn't go exactly how I planned." _

"_What happened?" _

"_He didn't seem like he thought that was a good idea. He obviously isn't very comfortable talking about his brother…" _

"_Even to you?" She cleared her throat, her voice growing softer, "I mean… you're family..." _

"_Yeah, well…" Sam's gaze shifted her hand in her mother's, "he doesn't know that." _

"_You didn't tell him." _

"_No… I never got around to it and I didn't want to make him upset." Sam laughed to herself, "I guess I was pretty wrong all over the place in how to handle this." Sam felt her own eyes begin to fill with tears as soon as she felt her mother place a hand to her cheek. _

"_You did what you thought was best." Alexis bit her lip in an effort to maintain her composure, "I'm sorry that I reacted the way I did. It's just… I was a little shocked." _

"_I know, mom." Sam nodded, wiping her tears, "It's okay. I over reacted too… I guess I've been a little on edge about this whole thing and I didn't even realize it." There was no holding back her sobs once Alexis wrapped her arms around her, holding her tight._

_Alexis leaned back, composing herself she looked into her daughter's dark eyes, "I think maybe it's time you learned a little bit about your father…" _

"_Mom… I…" Sam tried to protest. She didn't want her mother being more upset than she already was. _

"_No, no… It's time, Sam." Alexis nodded calmly, "It's time I get over myself and let you know what a wonderful person he was." _


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: ****Hi all! Happy Weekend... and Easter to those who celebrate! :) As always... special thanks to all of you who leave your comments after every chapter. I love reading them and am so grateful for the interest. **

**Hope you enjoy this next chapter. Might not be perfectly edited... it's late. LOL. **

Chapter Ten

"_This is delicious!" Alexis savored every bite of the chocolate cake she and Garrett were eating as she rested in the crook of his arm, in the bed they had just shared. _

"_It is…" Garrett smiles to her, "I've never met anyone that gets as much pleasure out of food as you…" _

"_I like to eat," She shrugs, "Probably because I can't cook." _

"_Where's the logic there?" _

"_Well… I appreciate good food because it's a mystery to me. I don't know how to get it that way. Everything I make tastes like it was scraped off the bottom of someone's shoe." _

"_It's not that bad…" He couldn't help but chuckle, knowing that indeed her cooking was pretty bad. _

"_Yes it is." She savored another bite of cake, "I mean… like if I could make this… I probably wouldn't think it was that great." _

"_I beg to differ." He shrugs, "I can make this… and I still think it's great." He watches as her eyes widened from their sockets. "What?" _

"_You…can make this?" _

"_Sure," He nods. _

"_Oh, no…" Alexis shakes her head, "This is very bad." _

_Now Garrett was confused, "Why?" _

"_Because if you can make this… we can never, ever move forward in our relationship. You won't be able to get me through the front door!" She watched as he threw his head back in laughter, and then matched eyes with her as they both realized what she had said. She clears her throat, "I mean… I guess I could try to exercise some self control…" _

"_Yeah?" Garrett smirked, raising a brow. "I hope so… because I really would like to do this again." _

"_Yeah," Alexis nods, "Me too…" She watches as he breaks their gaze and reaches over to the nightstand. _

"_I, uh, wanted to show you something…" He grins as hands her an old, wrinkled, photo, "Do you remember that?" _

"_What's this?" She puts her glasses on the end of her nose and gasps when she realizes it's a picture of her, "Oh my God…" _

"_Yeah…" He notices the tears in her eyes, "Do you remember that day?" _

"_Yeah, I do." She smiles, wiping a tear from her cheek as she continued to marvel over the photo of her much younger self. _

"_That was a perfect day…" Garrett remembers, "It was a beautiful summer that year, remember? Much like it has been this year, actually." _

"_Yeah," She nods, "And the thunder storms…" _

"_We almost got caught in one that afternoon!" He remembers excitedly, "We had to run to my car." _

"_Covering ourselves with the picnic blanket." She chuckles, "This is really funny… the rain today actually reminded me a lot of that summer." _

"_Yeah, me too," Garrett smiles, "So did this." He leaned in, covering her lips with his. _

"_Thank you," She locks her eyes to his and welcomes another kiss, "Thank you for showing me this." She flips the photo over to see- 'My Love August 1979'. Suddenly her emotions got the best of her. _

"_I've always kept that with me, Lex… ever since that day." Garrett takes her hand, "I never stopped loving you. You've always been my love." _

"_Garrett…" Alexis couldn't stop the tears from falling._

"_I don't expect you to… you know… say anything," He shakes his head, "I just want you to know that." _

_Alexis smiled before clasping her hand to his, and looking in his eyes, "I've never stopped loving you either." _

_He kisses her again. _

"_I…" Alexis began to speak before her phone started ringing. She looks over to where it sat on the bedside table, "Oh. It's Molly… Hi honey. Is everything okay?...What?" _

_Garrett sees the worry wash over her face as she looks at the clock. _

"_She should be home by now. How's Danny? Did you two have dinner? Okay. Well… did you try calling her office? Does it go right to voicemail? So it's on, then…" Alexis sighs, "Okay, honey, I'm sure everything is fine. She probably just left it somewhere. I will try to call her, yes… Listen, don't worry, okay. I'll be home in a little while and I'll call you when I hear from your sister. Okay, love you. Bye." She hangs up the phone and looks worriedly to Garrett, "Molly can't get a hold of Sam. She's usually home by now…" _

"_Well, maybe she stayed at the office to wait out the storm?" He watches as she frantically dials the phone and puts it to her ear, sighing when the office voicemail picks up. _

"_Sam, It's mom. I'll, uh, try your cell…" She hangs up and dials again, listening as the voicemail picks up yet again. She hangs up the phone and rises from the bed wrapped in the sheet and begins to gather her clothes, "We have to go… Something's wrong." She watched as Garrett followed her lead and they both rushed to get dressed, both praying that their daughter was all right._

"What do you think?" As she parked the car, Alexis finally acknowledged her daughter's presence in the passenger seat.

"What?"

"Mom, were you listening to anything I said?" Of all the times that her mother had yelled at her for not listening, you would think she would practice what she preached.

"I'm sorry sweetheart… I was listening to that news report…" She silently prayed that her daughter wouldn't ask her to discuss it, because she had no idea if there was even a news report on the radio.

Molly sighed, "Stupid NPR. You seriously need to get a life, mom. Maybe at least _try_ to listen to a _song_ on the radio once and a while?"

"It's important to stay up on current events, Molly." Alexis lectured before turning towards the backseat where Danny sat happily in his car seat, kicking his legs, "Right Daniel? Otherwise our brains turn to mush and we form mushy opinions of the world around us."

"Mom…" Molly laughed, unbuckling her seat belt and getting out of the car as her mother did the same before opening the back door to retrieve her nephew.

"Go sopping?" Danny questioned as his grandmother lifted him from his seat and into her arms.

"Yes, baby." Alexis kisses his head as she hits the lock button on her keys and they head into the grocery store. "Exactly how I love to spend a day off…"

"Mom, I don't even know why you bother grocery shopping, anyway. We never even eat homemade food." Molly laughed as she pulled out a shopping cart and her mother swiped a disinfectant wipe over the front of it before placing Danny inside.

"Well, obviously we do because I'm here, having to buy more."

"That's just because Garrett was cooking…"

"Molly," Alexis sighed as they pushed their way into the store, "That's not completely accurate. And where exactly do you think I get the prepared food from that we love to enjoy?"

"True." Molly nodded as they approached the produce section; as her mother grabbed a plastic bag and began filling it with pears, she watched as Danny's face lit up.

"Peyah!" He clapped excitedly, drawing laughs from his grandmother and aunt.

"Oh, Danny…" Alexis shook her head as he watched her place the bag in the back of the cart, "You like Pears, huh?"

"Yah." He nods and points as they approach the bananas, "'Ah-nana!"

"Bah," Molly demonstrated, "Can you say Bah, bah?"

"No not ba-ba!" Danny shook his head laughing, he pointed again, "'Ah-nana!" He watched as Alexis placed a bunch of "ah-nana's" in the cart and looked up suddenly when someone caught his eye, "My Papa!"

"Hey you!" Garrett smiled once he turned to the familiar little voice calling the name only heard from him. He observed as Alexis turned cautiously to face him with a smile, "Hi."

"Hi, Garrett." Alexis nodded as she drew a deep breath and forced a smile.

"You guys doing some grocery shopping?" He smiled, taking a glance at their cart.

"Yes, well…" She shrugged, "It's a grocery store. Isn't that usually what people do here?"

"Mom!" Molly scolded, watching as her mother looked away from him to refrain from continuing.

"Papa!" Danny smiled happily holding up his arms for his favorite guy.

Garrett ruffled his hair and smiled, "I better not take you out of there… I don't think that would end well for me, today, Danny"

"Danny, sweetie…" Alexis watched as Danny continued to try and sway his Papa, "Papa's busy. He's shopping like us."

"Papa…" Danny frowned as his eyes filled with tears.

"It's okay, Danny," Molly walked to the front of the cart, "Grandma's grumpy today. Let's go pick out some cereal."

"Molly!" Alexis scolded as she watched her daughter pushed the cart away, "Be careful!" She looked back to Garrett who was trying to hide his amusement at Molly's antics. He had a soft spot for the teen, and why wouldn't he? She always seemed to be on his side.

"Listen, Lex… you don't have to stand here with me. Go ahead… catch up with Molly and Danny."

"I don't mind standing here." She cleared her throat, "I mean. I'm not uncomfortable around you, Garrett."

"I find that a little hard to believe."

"You know what," Alexis sighed, "I'm suddenly not in the _mood_ to stand here, though." She began to walk away before a hand on her arm stopped her.

"Alexis…"

She turned back quickly; he never called her by her full name, "What?"

"I'm sorry… I don't mean to be an ass."

"You're not." She took a slow breath, her eyes shifting to take in all of the shoppers that seemed to be staring at them, "Can we like… go to the café over there or something? We look like idiots standing here in the middle of the produce department."

"Sure." He chuckled as he guided her over to the café, "Coffee?"

"Please," She nodded with her arms crossed, as she stood beside him, accepting the warm cup when he handed it to her, "Thank you." They made their way to a table in the corner and took a seat.

"You're off today?" He inquired as he poured the cream into his coffee.

"Uh… yeah." Alexis cleared her throat, a clear sign that she wasn't comfortable. But he would leave it alone if he knew what was good for him, "It's Friday."

"Oh, right." Garrett nodded. He was the one that had convinced her to take Friday's off for the summer.

"So. How's the new office?" She sipped her coffee.

"Oh, uh…it actually… it fell through." He knew he should probably tell her that he chose to postpone it, but that wasn't something he wanted to get into.

"It fell through?" And she didn't believe him. Of course.

"Well… no."

"Oh, now it didn't. So what is it, did it fall through or not?" Alexis' tolerance was diminishing, she quickly realized, "I'm…I'm sorry. I sound like I'm your mother."

"I decided to hold off on renting an office space right now." He spoke flatly, ignoring her last remark. He watched as her face fell.

"Why?"

"I don't know," He shrugged, "A lot has changed." He watched as anger washed over her face.

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah…" Garrett nodded matter-of-factly, "I mean, a lot _has_ changed, wouldn't you say?"

"It wasn't very long ago that you told me that your life is here… and now all of a sudden you're not so sure?"

"Lex…"

"So typical," She shook her head, sarcasm dripping from the smile on her face, "I catch on to your lies and now who gives a shit about your kid and grandkid, right?"

"Alexis," Now it was his turn to be angry, "You're not exactly making this easy, you know!"

"_I'm_ not making it easy?!" She heard her voice rise and quickly tried to recover, "I didn't do this, Garrett. I didn't make the choices here, you did that. Hell, you can't even tell the truth about your stupid office."

"Oh I wonder why?" He chided, "Maybe because I figured it would lead to this?"

"What are we doing here, anyway?" She narrowed her eyes and lowered her voice to a sharp whisper, "We're sitting in the middle of a grocery store going around and around again about the same stupid shit we've been going around about for weeks."

"I'm sorry… I just thought maybe it would be nice to talk for a minute." He watches as she stands up, "Lex. Come on."

"No, I'm sorry." She sighed, running a hand over her forehead, "I can't do this. I can't keep projecting my anger on to you."

"Why don't you just stop being angry, then?"

"You think it's that simple?" Alexis questioned, "Let me clear it up for you, Garrett. It's not. It's not that easy." She felt the tears sting her eyes as she sat back down in the chair.

"Lex… we should be fair here… neither of us expected any of this." He watched her angrily wipe her tear, "It all kind of just fell together. We got caught up in ourselves."

"You got caught up… in your lies." She sniffled, sitting back in the chair and crossing her arms.

"You're right. Okay? I know that I lied. I know that I lead you to believe that things were different. But I didn't lie to you about my feelings, Lex."

"It's not entirely your fault, you know." She wiped her tears again, suddenly growing a little embarrassed for crying in the middle of the grocery store café, she pulled herself towards the table, "I mean… you waltzed back into my life and all of a sudden I was 16 again. I felt like what I had been waiting for my entire life finally came back to me and all was right with the world. So stupid…"

"Lex…"

"I should have been so angry with you, Garrett." She shook her head, "I really should have. I mean… all you ever did was lie to me."

"It's all that I knew back then. It's what I was raised to do," He defended, "And I'm so sorry that I did it to you. I'm so sorry."

She looked at him carefully and then inhaled sharply, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"What exactly are you sorry for?" Alexis held her hand to her face, "Are you sorry for lying to me 35 years ago? Or when you first came to town last year? Or is it the most recent little issue that's giving you the most guilt?"

"I'm sorry for everything." Garrett looked down at his coffee as he felt himself getting emotional.

"I am too," She watched him for a moment before getting up, "Thanks for the coffee…"


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Hey everybody! I hope the jumping around in this story isn't getting too confusing for anyone... the flashbacks get tricky to convey at times but I feel like they are too important to rush. **

**Thank you all, again, for your reviews and continued interest. I hope you all enjoy the next chapter... It's double-decker Davis girls. ;) and I really enjoyed writing it. **

Chapter Eleven

_They had been driving for a half hour in what felt like circles around Port Charles. The rain was pouring against the windshield as the wipers quickly swiped back and forth trying to keep up. Alexis continued to try and call Sam's phone, getting the voicemail after a series of rings every time. Garrett glanced over to her in the passenger seat and watched as she held the phone to her ear again and then quickly back in her lap. _

_"Went right to voicemail…" Alexis sighed, running her hand through her hair, "Her phone's off now." _

_"Lex, I'm sure she's fine." _

_"No, she isn't."She stared out the window, her voice eerily calm, "I just have this horrible feeling." _

_Garrett looked over to her again and watched her body tense as she looked out the window, "What?" _

_"Pull over!" Alexis screamed, "Oh my god, that's Sam's car…" _

_"Oh, no…" Garrett felt his stomach in his throat and barely had the car stopped before Alexis jumped out and ran over to Sam's car that was wrapped around a tree with smoke pouring from the engine. _

_"Sam! Baby!" She pounded on the window and Sam didn't respond. She frantically turned to Garrett who was running towards her and the car, "She's unconscious, Garrett! We have to get her out!" _

_"We'll get her out, Lex… We will." He reassured as he worked to find the best possible solution, "Call 911." _

_Alexis quickly did as she was told, praying that her daughter would be all right, as tears rolled to her cheeks. _

"Mom… Mom?" Alexis opened her eyes to find Sam standing in her doorway with Danny on her hip dressed in just his diaper, as his head rested on her shoulder.

"Sam?" Alexis sat up quickly and glanced at the clock, 12:03am, "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry I woke you up… I just…" Sam stopped talking by the time her mother reached her and was looking Danny over, "He got sick in his crib… I think he's okay but I he won't let me put him down."

"Oh, poor baby…" Alexis frowned as she ran her hand along his forehead, "He's a little clammy… does he have a fever?"

"About 99…" Sam's face was full of uneasiness, "Should I give him something? I don't want him to get sick again… but what if his fever gets worse? I know he should have fluids…I don't know what to do…"

"Yes you do," Alexis smiled as she reassured her daughter, "You're doing it."

Sam watched as Danny stirred in her arms, rubbing his eyes before wrapping his arms around her neck with a quiet, "Momma."

"Come on… let's at least get some pajamas on him and hopefully he won't be sick again." Alexis snuck past her daughter and headed into Danny's room to retrieve his pajamas from the dresser, "Did you clean everything up in here already?"

"Yeah…" Sam swayed back and forth, rubbing Danny's back as she watched her mother. "It wasn't that bad. I guess now I know what those mattress pads are for."

"Mommy lesson learned," Alexis chuckles as they head out of the room and into Sam's where she begins to dress the sleepy little boy.

"I'm worried, mom…" Sam spoke softly as she maneuvered Danny's arms into his shirt, "Look at him… he's so pale. I'm afraid he's going to get too dehydrated…"

"He'll be fine for right now…" Alexis came up behind her daughter, placing a hand on her back, "Let his stomach settle a little. I'll go get some pedialyte for later…"

Sam watched as her mother turned to leave, "Mom… wait."

"Yeah?" She turned to face her daughter, watching as she picked Danny up and he rested his sleepy head back on her shoulder.

"Can you just… can you stay here for a minute?" Sam asked.

"Of course, honey…" Alexis couldn't help but smile. She knew how Sam hated to admit with she needed her mother.

"Thanks. I just… I'm worried that his fever is going to go up and I won't be able to tell or something… and I don't…"

"Honey…" Alexis placed a hand on her daughter's back. "It's okay. I'm here. Come on, get into bed…"

Sam did as she was told, situating Danny in the crook of her arm as her mother approached the side of the bed with a small trash can in her hand, laying down a towel and setting the garbage can on top of it.

"Just in case…"

"Thanks, mom…" Sam smiled as her mother leaned over to place a kiss on her forehead before walking around to the other side of the bed and taking a seat beside them.

"You know…" Alexis started as she brushed Danny's hair away from his forehead, "The first time Kristina was sick like this… I was a mess. I was all by myself and all I could do was sit with her and pray that I was doing the right thing because I really had no idea."

"Well, you're an amazing mother. You didn't have to worry," Sam spoke with a smile, prompting one from her mother.

"You are an amazing mother, my dear one. No matter how helpless you might feel at the moment, you are doing all of the right things. That's one thing I've learned… All that your baby needs when they're sick is you… their momma. And you will know when they need something else, that's where your instinct comes in. It took me a long time to trust that."

"When were you finally able to?" Sam asked.

"I think it was when Kristina was in the hospital. I was put in a situation where all I could do was be there for her and love her. I couldn't fix it… and it really tested my patience." She sighed, "But I think it helped me to finally start to let go of the deep seeded fear I had."

"What do you mean?"

"I was afraid… from the moment I found out I was pregnant for Kristina, I was afraid that I was going to do something that would cause me to lose her." She looked up at Sam, as sting of hot tears hit her eyes, "Like I lost you…"

"Mom…" Sam shook her head. She hated how talking about the past made her mother feel.

"I think that's why I made all of the choices that I did… I know that was why I was so protective over Kristina when she was born. I had this nagging guilt in the forefront of my mind that if I had done something more… if I had fought harder for you, to keep you." Alexis wiped her tears away, "Even before I knew what a horrible childhood you had…"

"Mom, none of that was your fault. You do know that now, don't you?"

"Yeah," She nodded, smiling through her tear stained face, "But I'll be honest with you… I don't think I'll ever truly be able to let it go."

"I know… But I wish you would. You know, everything happens for a reason." Sam smiles adoringly to her mother, "I wouldn't change a thing about my life. It made me who I am. And most importantly, put me in a place where I can really appreciate you and the family that I have now."

"Aren't I supposed to be the one with the words of wisdom, here?" Alexis gently brushed Sam's hair back behind her ear.

"It doesn't hurt to hear it sometimes, too."

"You're right. And I love hearing it. I just hope that you know…" She swallows her tears as she rests her open hand on Sam's cheek, "I hope that you never doubt how much I love you."

"Mom, come on… of course I don't. How could I?" Sam smiles, "You never go a day without telling me." She watches as her mother smiles, but her tears told a different story, "Mom… where is this coming from?"

"Nothing," She waves her off and wipes away her tears, "Nothing, honey. I guess I'm just a little weepy tonight for some reason."

Sam knew exactly why her emotions her running high but she wasn't going to push it, not when she was this sensitive. Instead, she simply grasped her mother's hand, "I love you too… and I hope you never doubt that either."

"I don't." Alexis smiles before kissing her daughter's hand in hers.

"Mom… I want you to know something else."

"What, baby?"

"I want you to know that whatever you decide to do about Garrett… I'm behind you, 100%. I trust your judgment more than anyone else's and I just hope you know that whatever it is… whatever you decide… If it's the right decision for you, than I am happy."

"Sam… honey… I don't expect you to be behind me 100%. It's okay for you to worry about Garrett, too."

"Yeah, I know." Sam shrugs as she plays with Danny's hand in hers, "It's just that… I'm a little protective of you. I've watched you go through some horrible things and I know what all of this has done to you. More than anything, I just want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy."

"Thank you… I want to be happy, too. I'm just not sure how to do that."

Sam observes her mother as she looked away from her and down at the hand that rested in her grasp, "He thinks you've shut the door on all possibilities of you two being together…"

"I know," Alexis nods before running a hand through her hair, "I haven't exactly given him reason to think otherwise."

"You're pushing him away."

"I know that too." She chuckles ironically, "I tend to do that…"

"You're really not sure, though, are you?" Sam watches as tears fall to her mother's cheeks as she shakes her head.

"I'm not, no…" She draws a deep breath, "I guess part of me is hoping that if I push hard enough… Garrett will make the decision and I won't have to deal with it anymore."

"He loves you, mom." Sam smiles as she meets her mother's glistening brown eyes, "He wants to fight for you… he doesn't want to lose you again. But, people can only take so much, you know?"

"I know…" Alexis agrees as she attempts to wipe away the tears that have taken over her face.

"What I'm trying to say is that if you do push him to make the decision for you… it's not going to be because he doesn't love you. And it's not going to be because he didn't want to fight for you. It's going to be because he respects you, and your feelings… and your judgment."

"Yeah…" Alexis pauses for a moment, staring into the face of her beautiful daughter, before leaning forward and placing a kiss to her forehead, "I'm going to go and get Danny some Pedialyte and then you should try and get some rest. It's getting late."

"Okay." Sam nods and snuggles in closer to her son as her mother gets up and heads out of the door, "Mom?"

"Yeah?" She turns back over her shoulder to find her daughter's tired but bright face.

"Thank you for being my mom…" Sam smiles as she watches her mother tilt her head adoringly.

"Thank _you_ for being my baby."

Alexis sat at her kitchen table, bobbing her tea bag up and down in the steaming mug in front of her. After tucking Sam and Danny back securely in bed beside each other, it was clear that she wasn't going to be able to get back to sleep any time soon. She had barely been asleep before Sam had awakened her.

Looking down at her phone, she scrolled through her call log as her thumb rested on Kristina's name. She looked up at the clock and noted it being 1:26am meant that it was 8:26am in Greece. Not wanting to worry her middle baby or wake her up, a text message would suffice. _Hi baby girl. Just wanted to tell you I miss you and I love you… Call me if you're up… I am._

Alexis no sooner set her phone down and took a sip of her tea when the phone began buzzing from the table, her beautiful Kristina's smiling face lighting up the screen. She quickly picked it up.

"Hi, sweetheart…" Alexis smiled as she sat back in her chair.

"Mom? Is everything okay?" Kristina had heard from Sam and Molly that her mother had been a little stressed out, but she hadn't actually heard it from her mother herself… or got a message from her in what was basically the middle of the night.

"Yes, honey. Everything's fine. I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No," Kristina couldn't help but smile just from hearing the soothing sound of her mother's voice on the other end, "I'm just having some coffee before work."

"Oh! Are you in a rush? We don't have to…"

"Mom! It's fine! I wouldn't have called you if I was in a rush… but are you sure that everything is okay?"

"Yeah," Alexis sighed. She almost felt guilty for lying to her daughter… but this wasn't her problem and all that she needed was another daughter to be worried.

"Mom…?"

"Kristina…?" Alexis raised a brow as she teased her daughter and smiled when she heard a small laugh from the other end of the phone, "How are you, baby?"

"I'm good. I already told you about the show I'm having this weekend," The joy was radiating from her voice, "and I'm doing some presentations at a local school today with one of my colleagues."

"Oh that's wonderful," Alexis beamed proudly, "So Spencer was a good test subject, then?"

"Yes, he was great." Kristina had been trying out her art therapy techniques on her young cousin in preparation for the interview for the project and the hard work had paid off, "He said that drawing made him feel "'Content and at peace with himself.'" She chuckled.

"Sounds like Spencer," Alexis laughs, "I'm so glad you're getting a chance to spend time with him and Nikolas."

"Me too. I love it here, mom. Sometimes I just think it's where I fit, you know?"

"Yeah…" Alexis' voice faded when she thought of the prospect of her middle baby never coming back to Port Charles to live. She was so happy for her, but it didn't make her miss her any less.

"But… then I think about you, Molly, Sam, and Danny… and I miss you guys too much to stay here in Greece forever." Kristina could hear the relief wash over her mother. A big part of her couldn't wait for the day she could show up at her mother's door step and surprise her with a big '_I'm Home!'_

"Well, we miss you too much for you to stay in Greece forever, too." Alexis wiped a lone tear that escaped her tired eye, "Your little nephew asks about you every day."

"He does?" Now it was Kristina's turn to tear up. As much as she missed her mom and sisters, what broke her heart the most was missing out on watching little Danny grow and learn.

"Of course he does." Alexis smiled as she reassured her daughter, "He loves his aunt Tissy."

"I love him. Maybe later tonight we can skype with him and Molly and Sam?"

"That sounds like a great idea." She glanced back at the clock, "Listen, sweetheart, I don't' want to keep you too long…"

"Mom… I already told you…"

"Okay, got it." Alexis chuckled and sniffed back a few stray tears, "But, before I go… I wanted to tell you that I've been thinking… I think that it's time I planned a little trip to come and see my precious daughter's little Greek life, what do you say?"

"Really?" Kristina could barely contain her excitement, "I would love that!"

"Would you?" She couldn't help but be a little surprised, but pleasantly… her baby was growing up.

"Of course I would! I would love to see Greece through your eyes… and I can show you Greece through mine." Kristina smiled, her own emotions getting the best of her. She really did miss her mom.

"Okay… well. I will get on planning that. And you email me your schedule so that we can set it up at a time that isn't too busy for you, okay?"

"That's sounds perfect… Now go get some sleep, mommy. I love you."

"I love you too… Have a good day, angel." Alexis smiled at her daughter's reception before hanging up the phone and rising from her seat at the table. Yes… a little trip to Greece might be exactly what she needs.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Hi all! Here's the next chapter in our little saga. Enjoy! And again... thank you all for reading and reviewing. :) **

**P.S. Editing might be rough. My eyes are crossing. Time for bed. LOL **

Chapter Twelve

_"You're awake," Alexis was pleasantly surprised when she pulled back the cubicle curtain and found Garrett's open eyes. _

_ "How's Sam?" He had been going crazy since he woke up, wanting to know her condition._

_"She's stable. They just took her down for an MRI… so I thought I would come and check on you." Alexis approached his bed, looking carefully over his bandaged leg, "How are you?" _

_"I'm fine…" _

_"You lost so much blood…" She felt her emotions rise in her throat again as she grasped his hand. _

_"I'm okay, Lexie." Garrett gave her a weak smile, "I'm just worried about our daughter… Did the doctors say anything?" _

_"Nothing new…" She shook her head tears fell to her cheeks, "Just that they were amazed that she doesn't have any other injuries or broken bones that they can tell… they think her head got the brunt of the impact." _

_"It worries me that she still hasn't regained consciousness…" _

_"I know…" Alexis nods in agreement as she fights to hold back her tears, "But, I'm just so glad you're both here in the hospital where you can be properly cared for. When we were sitting there, waiting for the paramedics and both of you were laying unconscious beside me… I didn't know what to do. I felt so helpless…" _

_"I'm sorry, Lexie… I'm sorry I scared you." He watched as she tilted her head adoringly. _

_"Don't you dare be sorry… I'm just so grateful you're okay." She shook her head as the tears fell, "Garrett… I just can't stop thinking about what could have happened if we didn't get there when we did. And if you weren't there… If you didn't get her out when you did, she would've been in the car when it caught fire. You saved Sam's life." _

_"We both did… We wouldn't have found her if it wasn't for your mother's instinct, you know."He weakly raises his brow. _

_Alexis watched Garrett carefully as his eyes grew heavy. She glanced up at the I.V. bag of dark red liquid before looking back with concern, "You should get some rest…"_

_"You need to check on Sam…" He closed his eyes for a moment as Alexis gently ran her hand along his hairline. _

_"Yeah…" She leaned in and placed a soft kiss to his forehead and then upon his lips. _

_"I love you, Lexie…" Garrett smiled as his blinking slowed and he fought to keep his gaze on her teary face as it inched closer to place another to his lips._

_"I love you, too…" Alexis brushed her hand along his cheek as his eyes closed and he drifted to sleep, "So much." _

"Gerard!" Luke exclaimed with a sly smirk as he approached Garrett's table in Kelly's, drawing him from his daydream.

"Hi, Spencer," He couldn't help but smile. Luke was growing on him, "How are you?"

"Fine," Luke observed his computer and the papers strewn about, "Don't you have an office for this?"

"Uh," Garrett chuckled, "Actually not. I've decided to hold off on the office for now."

"Oh," Luke was confused, "I thought you were looking to bring your business here? You're not going back to the agency are you?"

"No, no…" He could sense Luke's accusatory tone, as if their friendship depended on that answer, "I'm just not sure how permanent Port Charles is for me, that's all."

"What are you talking about, man? You just moved in!"

"I know…" He shrugs.

"Natasha." Luke sighs.

"What?"

"This is about Natasha." Luke prods and watches as Garrett inhales deeply and focuses back on his papers, "Gerard… you have to give her some time."

"Yes, I know," He nods, looking back up at the man on the other side of the table, "I am giving her time. But I don't know if time is going to make a difference to her."

"She doesn't trust easily, she's had a hard time with that in her life."

"Because of me…"

"Not only because of you, Gerard. Her life has been full of mistrust… I mean, her father kept the truth from her about her own identity."

"Yes, I know. And that's why I can't blame her for not being able to forgive me for everything that I've done." Garrett puts down his pen, sitting back in the chair, "I was lucky that she forgave the first time after everything that I did when I first came to town."

"Well, you were caught off guard. You were used to putting up the front for so many years…"

"Right." Garrett laughs ironically, "But I couldn't stop there, now could I?"

"Okay… so you can't blame her… but I mean… This situation, it's not like its black and white or cut and dry here."

"Yeah, but, Luke… She was finally trusting me again." Garrett couldn't help but smile at the memory of their time together, "I love her… I love her more than I've ever loved anyone. We have a daughter… and a grandson. We share so much. And I wanted more than anything for things to move forward between us. I wanted it so much that I couldn't even think about anything else."

"About the minor details, right?" Luke raised a brow and then retreated, "Listen, I understand. I really do. No one knows better than me what it's like to be stuck in a situation that you can't get yourself out of. You get in so deep… things get so complicated and you _can't_ get out. And you can't fathom leaving what you have behind." He watched the recognition wash over Garrett's face and almost a relief that someone understood.

"I couldn't." Garrett paused for a moment, "I couldn't even think of it. I guess part of me knew that this would happen but I didn't want anything to change. It was just so good, you know?" He shakes his head, "My life… was a mess. It was broken. I was living in limbo… just going through the day to day routine. And then Sam walked into my office one day… and everything changed." He smiles, "When I finally came to Port Charles and it was all so real... things just moved along so quickly… getting to know Sam and Daniel. But, Lexie… she was… well, there wasn't much getting to know her. We kind of just picked up like…" He shrugs.

"Like no time had passed…" Luke smiles.

"Yeah." Garrett agrees with a wistful smile crossing his face, "When I look at her… she takes my breath away. She is more beautiful now than she was 30 years ago. And, now, seeing her with our daughter… and with Molly and Daniel." He smiles, "She's just amazing, you know?"

"I know," Luke nods. He did know. He admired his Natasha more than he could say.

"But I did this." Garrett draws a deep breath, pushing away any emotion that was threatening to show through, "It's my fault that we are in this situation. It's my fault I lost her 34 years ago… and it's my fault I've lost her now."

"Gerard… I think you're being a little hard on yourself here. I mean… I know Natasha…and I know that she can be pretty stubborn at times. And I also know that she isn't making this easy for you."

"No," Garrett chuckles, "No, she definitely isn't. But don't get me wrong… she wants me to have a relationship with my daughter and grandson. She really wants that. It's just a little hard to do when she doesn't want to talk to me."

"So what do you do? I mean… have you tried to talk to her?"

Garrett's eyes widened as he met his friends, "Have _you_ ever tried to talk to her when she didn't want to talk to you? It's virtually impossible. I mean… we almost had an all out brawl in the middle of the P.C. Market the other day."

"What?" Luke couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah. I ran into her, Molly and Daniel in the produce department…"

"Did you talk?"

"I got out exactly what I just told you about the office and she was furious."

"Furious? Why?"

"Because she took that as meaning that because her and I are no longer seeing each other I don't care about my daughter and my grandson." He watched as Luke rolled his eyes, "Yeah. So it was one step forward and five hundred steps backward."

"So?"

"So…?" Garrett raised a brow.

"So that's it? That's how you're going to leave it?"

"Luke… It's almost been a month of this back and forth. Honestly… I'm starting to think that it would be better for me to go back to Manhattan. Sam and Danny can come and visit me as much as they want… it isn't that far. And eventually when things settle down, I was thinking that I might even buy a house outside of the city, so it would be closer and more kid friendly."

"That's all a very good plan… but don't you think it would be beneficial for everyone if you stayed nearby? You and Sam have just started to really get close. You don't want to put a wrench in that."

"You're right. I don't." He sighs, "But I also don't want to put a wrench in their family, either. They had a really good thing going before I came into the picture. The Davis' are a powerhouse… they have an amazing bond and I don't want to come between what they have. Especially what Sam and her mother have…"

"I don't think that would happen. Alexis would never let that happen…"

"She wouldn't want to, of course not. But she can't help how she feels about me, Luke. She can't get past it. And I just don't want to take the change of causing any sort of rift between them."

"Don't you think if you decide to leave town, you might end up doing just that?" Luke raises a brow before continuing to provoke the thought, "Your daughter's going to be upset… and she's going to be looking for someone to blame. She doesn't have to look far…"

"It's not Lex's fault, though." Garrett shook his head. This was too complicated… everything in his life was too complicated, "It's not her fault."

"I know that." Luke emphasized. "And you know that. But you know your daughter and her mother. You're all too aware, I think, that when Natasha is hurt… watch out. Hell hath no fury, right?" He watches as Garrett nods, "Your daughter is scarily the exact same way. And when the two of them go at it together..."

"I know…" Garrett couldn't help but smile, "I guess I don't know what to do, Luke. I really don't."

"Do you want some advice?"

"Isn't that what you're doing here?" He raised a brow and a smirk curved his lips.

"Talk to them. Don't make any decisions until you've talked to your daughter _and_ Natasha…" Luke watches as Garrett gives him a small nod, "You have to make sure you've done whatever you can to fix this. In the end, that's what matters."


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Good Evening! Thank you readers and reviewers for your continued support. Without you, this would all be pointless. :) **

**Here's the next chapter to cap off the weekend. Hope you enjoy it. :)**

Chapter Thirteen

_As she exited Garrett's cubicle she saw the orderlies wheeling Sam back into hers and Patrick approaching. She quickly walked to meet him, "How is she?" _

_"She's stable," Patrick nods, "Looks like it's just a severe concussion." _

_"Is she awake?" _

_"No, not yet. But you can go sit with her now. It probably won't be long before she's awake." He watches as Alexis nods in understanding, "She's probably going to have one hell of a headache, so let us know when she's regains consciousness and we can assess the pain and give her something more if she needs it." _

_"Okay, thank you." Alexis walks past him and through the curtain to Sam's cubicle. Choking back a sob at the sight of her daughter and the bruises to her face that had become more visible, she approached the bed once the orderlies left, taking a seat and a hold of her hand. "Hi, sweetheart…" She focused on the rise and fall of her daughter's chest, "Patrick says all of your tests came back fine… but you have a severe concussion. You just have to wake up now, baby, so we can make sure everything is okay." She brushes her hand lightly along Sam's hairline, watching as her eyes began to flutter, "Sam, honey?" _

_"Mom…" Sam squinted as she opened her eyes and shied away from the light, "My head…" _

_"Hi, baby… it's so good to hear your voice!" Alexis smiled in relief, kissing her daughter's hand. _

_"What happened?" Sam was visibly confused as she struggled to take in her surroundings._

_"You had a car accident, honey. You hit your head pretty hard." Alexis watched as Sam winced again. _

_"A car accident?" Sam tried to focus before suddenly growing panicked, "Oh my God… Danny? Is Danny okay?" _

_"Yes, sweetie," her mother reassured with a smile, watching as relief washed over Sam's face, "He's fine. You hadn't picked him up yet. You were alone. You don't remember?" _

_"No," Sam answered softly as she tightly closed her eyes and brought a hand to her head. _

_"Are you all right if I go out and get the doctor to check you out? Sam nodded and Alexis kissed her hand, "Okay, I will be right back." _

_"Okay…" Sam managed a smile before watching her mother leave the room. _

_Alexis pulled back the curtain, not wanting to fully leave her daughter's cubicle. She poked her head towards the nurse's station in an effort to get Epiphany's attention, only to notice her talking to a blonde woman who appeared to be frantic. _

_"Yes, please." The woman frantically answered Epiphany's offer for help, "I'm here to see my husband. I was contacted by authorities and told he was injured in a car accident?"_

_ Patrick approached Alexis, drawing her from her stare, "Alexis, everything okay?" _

_"Oh, yeah… I'm sorry…"She focused on the tall doctor in front of her, "Patrick, Sam is awake. And she's complaining about her head." _

_"Okay, sure." He nodded, pulling back the curtain, "We'll check it out." _

_"Thank you," Alexis watched as he entered the exam room and closed the curtain behind him, before the woman's voice drew her back. _

_"His name is Garrett Newman." _

_Alexis's stomach churned, and before she knew what she was doing, she had made her way to the nurse's station and was standing beside the petite blonde, "Excuse me. I'm sorry, did you just say your husband is Garrett Newman?" _

_"Yes?"The newly realized Mrs. Newman narrowed her eyes in confusion. _

_"Of course," Alexis looked away and shook her head as she felt her stomach rise to her throat, prompting her to grip the counter in search for some kind of support. She then simply pointed towards Garrett's cubicle, "He's in there."_

As she slammed her file cabinet drawer shut, a knock sounded at her office door. "Come in." She sighed as she sat back in the chair and positioned her glasses on her nose.

"Hey…" Sonny poked his head around the door, "You got a minute?"

"Yeah…" Alexis looked at him from over the top of her glasses, "What's up?"

"Nothing urgent," He shrugged as he took a seat on the opposite side of her desk, "I just wanted to touch base with you about a couple of contracts I need drawn up."

"Sure." She nodded as turned to her computer and pulled up a blank document, "Go ahead… For what?"

As she waited, her hands perched on the keys ready to being, Sonny just looked at her. He had to say something… he couldn't just sit back and watch his friend go crazy.

"Sonny?" Her impatience was getting the best of her… a common occurrence these days.

"Yeah…" He drew a breath, "Uh… I talked to Kristina this morning."

"Okay…?" She turned away from the computer and went back to the file she was looking at previously, "What did she have to say?"

"She said she was having an art show this weekend at a small gallery." He couldn't help but smile as he watched Alexis' face soften when she looked up at him.

"I know…" She took off her glasses, resting them in her hands in front of her, "Isn't it wonderful? Nikolas says she's doing so well, he's never seen her so happy. Always a smile on her face."

"That's amazing. I'm so proud of her." He felt his face brighten the same way he had just watched Alexis'. All they ever wanted for their daughter was happiness, "She told me that you were planning a trip to go see her?"

"Yes…" She drew a deep breath, "I really miss her… and I figured I should do it while I can. You know, while things are a little bit calm around here…"

"Is that the only reason?" Sonny raised a brow. He wasn't sure how to approach this… but he knew that he had to do it. Not only as a favor for Kristina… but for Alexis.

"Yes?" Alexis lowered her brow, "Should I not be missing our daughter? I haven't seen her since Christmas…"

"Of course you can miss her, Alexis." Sonny sighed, "I'm just not completely convinced that taking a trip to Greece is just about visiting Kristina."

"Well… I am going to spend time with Nikolas and Spencer, too… I mean…"

"Lex." Sonny rolled his eyes, "You know what I'm talking about."

"No… I'm sorry, Mr. Corinthos." She swiftly removed her glasses keeping a stern gaze, "What, pray tell, are you talking about?"

"Hey." He raised his brow and shifted his seat, resting his elbows on his thighs, "Listen… I'm just trying to be a friend, okay?"

Alexis sighed and ran her hands over her face before sitting back and crossing her arms. She was ready for battle… and tired of everyone telling her what she needed to do, "Okay, _friend. _Go ahead…_"_

"You're something else, you know that?" He shook his head with a chuckle for a moment before growing serious again, "So, what are you gonna do about Garrett?"

"What am _I_ going to do?" Her eyes widened as she twisted side to side in her chair, "Why is it always up to me, hmm? Why do I always have to decide?"

"You're miserable."

"I am not miserable." Her voice was soft as she rested her head on her fist, "I'm just a little stressed."

"Have you talked to him?" Sonny was cautious in his questioning.

"A little…" She shrugged, "To be honest… I don't really want to. Every time we try talking it turns into a fight."

"And why is that?"

"I don't know Sonny," She exclaimed, "Maybe because I'm stubborn and defensive. Is that what you want me to say?"

"That's a start…" He smirked, bringing out a small smile from Alexis as well. He was right… she was right. And she knew it.

"I am. I know that I am. But you know what? I'm so damn tired of getting hurt." She felt the tears begin to sting her eyes but she couldn't let it happen. Yet somehow Sonny always managed to get her to confront her feelings.

"You have every right to be upset, you know."

"Yeah?" She bit her lip, "Because everyone else seems to think I'm overreacting. Or at least that I'm not giving Garrett enough of a chance. Do you know how many chances I've given that man? Too many… way too many. Just like I always do with every man."

"Only you know what's right for you."

"But I don't know," She could no longer hold back as her eyes filled with tears, "I really don't. I don't know what to do. I love him so much, Sonny. So much that I can't bear the thought of letting him close enough to hurt me again."

"I know…" He's sympathetic as he watches her meet his eyes.

"I was sixteen… _sixteen_ years old," She sniffled, turning her gaze towards the window, "And he was so charming. So wise beyond his years. And he paid attention to me. For the first time in my life, someone actually loved me for _me._" She smiled as she turned back to him, swiping away the tears from her cheeks, "and I loved him. I loved him so, so much. When we were together… it was like nothing else mattered. It was like everything terrible and awful in my life just went away and all that was there was him and his love. It was all that I needed."

Sonny smiled, "That's true love…"

"I thought so," Alexis nodded, "I really thought so. And then… and then he was gone. He told me that he loved me. He told me I was the most important person in his life. And he really was the most important one in mine…without him, I had no one." Her voice waivered as her emotions overflowed and she struggled to keep them under control. "I'm sorry…" She apologized as she accepted the tissue Sonny handed to her.

"No reason to be…" He smiles softly, "This is why I'm here."

"You're not my therapist." She wipes her nose, "You pay _me_ to figure things out for _you_."

'Yeah. You're right. And I'm your friend… you're the mother of my child. I love you and I'm here for you." He met her eyes and watched when they again flooded with tears as she smiled at him.

"Thank you… that means a lot."

"Anytime… you know that." Sonny shrugs, "We've been through a lot together. And apart… with other people. I know what it's like to love someone and be afraid to let them in."

"You do…" She nods in agreement, continuing to wipe away her tears, "You know… sometimes I think it would be so much easier just to forget all about it. Just push it away like I used to..."

"Where has that gotten you?"

"Nowhere…" She chuckles as she runs a hand along her forehead, "I don't know Sonny… I honestly don't know. Life was so simple before he came back. Everything was in place. Everything was quiet."

"And boring…" He raised a brow, knowing he was telling the truth.

"No… well, maybe a little. But my life is full, it really is. I have 3 daughters that are the most beautiful, intelligent, and amazing women I have ever known in my life." She smiles wistfully, "And my baby boy… my perfect little Danny who just brightens every day."

"He certainly does that. The boy has one serious personality on him." Sonny chuckles.

"Doesn't he? I am so blessed, Sonny." She shakes her head in astonishment. Sometimes it still took her breath away, "I have everything that anyone could ever want."

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't want someone to love, Alexis…" He watches as she nods, but her tears showed him she didn't really believe him, "I mean that. You deserve happiness in every aspect of your life."

"Maybe…" She shrugs as she gets up from the chair to stand by the window where she rests her head, "I've waited this long… maybe I still just need to wait for the right person to come along."

"Yeah… maybe…but you need to be open to the possibility that, maybe, the right person has already come along…" He observed as she came back to her desk and took a seat on the edge in front of him.

"I've spent my whole life trying to find love…" She smiled to him, "With Ned… _you…_Ric…Jerry…Sean…" Shaking her head she sighed, "No… I really just think it's time. It's time to let it go. I just need to figure out how." She looked down when she felt him take her hand.

"I know it's scary to put yourself out there again… and give someone a chance… especially considering the track record," He smiles when she chuckles slightly, before continuing, "But sometimes you have to weigh the options… sometimes… it's better to give love a chance than to give in to your fears and deny yourself the opportunity to be happy."

Alexis looked into his eyes for a moment, a smile on her lips, and the same tears still lingering in her eyes. She was so thankful to have Sonny in her life. Their friendship was a gift that had grown and evolved so much through the years. Often times, they knew each other better than they knew themselves… and she couldn't help but admit that maybe he was right. "Thank you…" She smiled to him before suddenly her cell phone rang, prompting her to break their gaze and pick it up from the desk, "It's Sam… Hi Honey." It's wasn't Sam, "Garrett?"

Sonny watched as her complexion turned white.

"I'll be there in five minutes." Alexis quickly hung up the phone and grabbed her purse prompting Sonny to practically jump from his seat.

"What's the matter?"

"It's Danny." Her voice cracked, "I need to go to the hospital."

"Okay," Sonny nodded as he put a hand on her back to guide her out, "I'll drive you."


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N:****As always... huge thank you for the reviews and enthusiasm! **

**Here's an update on this manic Monday... LOL. Enjoy! **

Chapter Fourteen

Garrett stood outside the emergency room cubicle, his hands in his pockets, silently thanking God that he had gotten to the house when he did. When he walked in and found his daughter frantically trying to wake Danny from where he slept on the sofa and getting no response, he quickly gathered them together and brought them to the hospital. Now all he could do what pray that he got them there in time.

"Garrett!"

He looked up at the sound of his name and found Alexis running towards him with Sonny following behind, "Sam's in there with him now… the doctor is examining him."

"How is he?" Her normally calm and steady voice was wavering. She honestly couldn't take much more.

"He's stable," Garrett nodded and watched her as tears immediately flooded her eyes.

"_Stable?!"_ She felt Sonny's hand on her back as she folded her arms and brought a hand to her face, "What happened? He was fine when I left this morning."

"I, uh… I went to your house to see Sam." He cleared his throat, "I had called and she said that Danny hadn't been feeling well so she stayed home from work."

"He's had a little bug…" She nodded, "He was sick in the middle of the night, but he was doing better this morning. He was drinking some juice and watching television, just like normal!"

"Sam thought the same thing… until he fell asleep on the sofa. When she tried to wake him, he wouldn't. That's when I got there and we brought him right here."

Alexis wiped a tear and tried to calm herself down when she saw the doctor come out of the cubicle, "How's my grandson?"

"Ms. Davis?" The doctor questioned, to which Alexis nodded, "Daniel is stable. We're giving him fluids and we've taken some blood to run tests so that we can determine what the problem is."

"Can I go in?" The doctor nodded with permission, "Thank you."

Alexis pulled back the curtain and cautiously entered the small cubicle to find her daughter standing beside Danny's bed, smoothing back his hair as he laid still, his eyes open and surveying the room, landing on his grandmother as she entered.

"There are my babies…" Alexis forced a smile as she approached the bed, wrapping an arm around her daughter and kissing her head softly.

Sam looked up at her, "Hi, mom."

"Hi, honey." Alexis gave her daughter a tight squeeze before moving to the other side of Danny's bed. She kissed her hand, placing it on his forehead, "My sweet boy… you're not feeling very well, huh?" She watched as Danny's blinking slowed, but he forced his eyes open.

"He's perked up a little since they gave him the fluids…" Sam sniffled, holding her tears back, "I think maybe he was just dehydrated. It's my fault… I should have made sure he was drinking more… but he only got sick that once… I didn't…"

"Sam… honey…" Alexis reached over and placed a hand on her daughter's arm, "It's not your fault. It's not. You did everything you should have done."

Sam nodded, but quietly continued to smooth Danny's hair back, "I didn't know what to do… he wouldn't… he wouldn't even move. I didn't even think he was breathing at first."

"Oh, honey…" Alexis' heart was breaking, not only for the little boy in the bed, but for her daughter who was doubting her own mothering skills.

"Thank God Garrett showed up when he did… I don't know what I would have done." Sam shook her head as she continued to focus on her baby boy.

Alexis swallowed hard, following her daughter's gaze back to her grandson, who was still struggling to keep his eyes open, "Does the doctor want us to keep him awake?"

"I don't know… he didn't say…" Sam shrugged, "But I'm afraid… I'm afraid for him to fall asleep."

"I know, baby…" Alexis frowned to her daughter as she smoothed her grandson's blankets. When he weakly reached out and touched her arm, she turned back to him with a smile, which prompted him to do the same, "There's my baby's sweet smile."

"You feeling better, Danny?" Sam asked lovingly.

"I think he is…" Alexis spoke softly, "You're looking better and better."

Danny turned to Sam and reached his arms out, "Momma…" He was on the verge of tears. Whenever he was not feeling well, he wanted nothing else but to be held.

"I know baby… Mommy's so sorry. I can't pick you up right now, okay?"

"Gumma…" the little boy's lip quivered as he turned to his grandmother, doing the same gesture.

Alexis took his hands in hers, kissing them both, "Listen, sweetheart, you just need to rest here for a minute, okay? Because you have to let the medicine work so it will make you better." She watched as Danny looked between her and Sam, tears still in his eyes.

"You're okay," Sam soothed as she continued to smooth her son's hair back away from his face, "Mommy and Grandma are right here, okay?"

Alexis smiled softly as she watched Daniel be comforted by his mother as he gripped tightly to her hand. Their Danny would be okay. They were going to make sure of it.

"Mrs. Morgan?"

Sam and Alexis turn towards the voice to notice the doctor had re-entered.

"Yes?" Sam questioned as she remained close to her son's bed.

"We have the results of Daniel's blood work…"

Garrett looked up at Sonny as they both stood helplessly by the nurse's station, "I'm glad you were there when I called Alexis. I was worried about her driving herself."

"Yeah," Sonny nods, "Me too." He observes Garrett's nervous state, "Danny's gonna be okay…"

"Yeah… yeah. I know he is." He nods with a sigh, "It's just… when I walked in and saw Sam holding him… her face… she was so scared. I just felt so helpless, you know? I wanted to do something to help my kid to help her kid, and I didn't know what to do."

"It's a tough place to be in. A parent… let alone a parent of a parent." Sonny concurs.

"Never thought I'd get the chance to know…" Garrett smiles slightly, "But now I do. As tough as it might be at times… it's the best place to be in the whole world."

"You're right." Sonny smiles, "It definitely is. You got the luck of the draw, you know. Your daughter's a great person. So is her mother."

"I know."

"They're stubborn too. Just remember, no matter what they say, they need you… be there for them." Sonny emphasizes eyeing Garrett intently as the man nods in acknowledgement, "Listen… tell Lexis to call me and let me know what's going on. I'm going to go… If you guys need anything…"

"Thanks, Sonny…" Garrett nods, "Really, thank you…"

As Sonny leaves, Garrett notices the doctor exiting Danny's room. He rushes towards him, "I'm Daniel Morgan's grandfather… can you tell me anything about his condition? Can I see him?"

"We're going to be moving him to a room… your wife and daughter are with him. You can go in."

"Uh… thank you… thanks…" Garrett swiftly walks past the doctor and into the cubicle where he meets both Sam and Alexis' teary eyes. He suddenly felt his heart beating in his throat, "Hey…"

"Hi." Sam managed through a strained voice, while she ran her hand along her baby's cheek as he slept.

Alexis kissed Danny's head before walking to meet Garrett and guide him back out of the cubicle, "Did you talk to the Doctor?"

"No… no... He just told me I could come in and see him. What's going on, Lex?" He watched as she struggled to stay calm and her eyes filled with tears.

"He's sick, Garrett. Our baby boy… he's really sick…" Alexis couldn't hold back any longer as the tears poured from her eyes and she practically collapsed in his arms.

"Shh… it's okay… it's going to be okay, Lex." It had to be.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Happy Weekend! :) Sorry it's been a while since I updated... life got in the way.**

**Thanks for the reviews! Here is the next Chapter... Enjoy! :) **

Chapter Fifteen

Alexis looked up from where she was seated in the waiting area to find Garrett standing before her with a cup of coffee. "Thank you," She accepted it, cradling it in both hands as he took a seat beside her with his own cup.

"I just caught Monica as I was coming up from the café, she said that the tests are done, they should be headed back to the room shortly." He watched as she nodded while still staying focused on the cup in her hands, "Anything I can do for you?"

"No," She shook her head and smiled up at him, "Thank you… thank you for being here. I know how much it means to Sam to have you here..."

"I wouldn't be anywhere else."

"…to me too… it means a lot to me." Reaching out she took his hand as it rested on the arm of the chair.

"It means a lot to _me_, Lex." Garrett holds firmly to her hand, "I'm glad that I'm able to be here."

"He's going to be okay…" Alexis spoke in reassurance, almost more for herself than him, "He has to be, right?"

"Danny's a strong little boy… he comes from strong stock. He's a Davis." Garrett smiled as Alexis met his eyes.

"He certainly is… you know…" She smiled wistfully, "I was just thinking about… remembering when Sam first told me she was pregnant. And I felt so old." She laughed slightly, "I mean, I was thrilled. I was so happy for her and for me… for all of us. But the fact that I was actually going to be a grandmother… was a little unnerving."

"Yeah, well… at least you had time to prepare." Garrett quips, prompting a knowing glance from Alexis.

"That is true. I did." She chuckles as her face softens, "But it didn't take long. Once it all really sunk in. I would be driving to work or shopping… I started noticing. These little kids and their grandparents getting ice cream or just taking a walk in the park. I was so excited. It felt just like…" She paused, meeting his eyes with her teary ones, "I felt just like I did when I was pregnant for Sam."

Garrett looked down for a moment as he felt his own eyes sting with the threat of tears. He turned back to her just as she wiped her tear but smiled lovingly.

"Sam was going through a lot… during her pregnancy. With Jason… and everything that went along with that…." She shook her head at the memory of that hard time, still amazed at how far they had come. "When we thought she lost Danny…" She choked back her emotions, "I had to be strong, you know? I had to be strong for Sam…and for Molly and Kristina. But my heart was broken." She drew a deep breath, "But all of that changed. He was brought back to us and just fit right into our lives so perfectly." She looked into his eyes, smiling through her tears, "I'll never forget walking into that hospital room and seeing Danny in Sam's lap. Sitting there, looking up at me with those big blue eyes… just like he knew that was exactly where he belonged. He knew that she was his mommy… and we were his family. I mean, from the moment Sam got him back, he was completely comfortable."

"He's a smart kid." Garrett smiles, "And he's lucky to have such a great family."

"No..." She shakes her head, wiping her cheeks, "We're the lucky ones. You know, I never believed people when they said that being a grandmother was so much better than being a mother… and how special it is and all of that. I just never really got it. My girls… they mean everything to me. They are my life." She shook her head, "But Danny… he just lights up my whole world, Garrett. Maybe it's because I'm in a different place now. I'm older and I've been through the stresses that I was going through when the girls were small… or when Sam and I first found each other." She shrugs, bringing the tissue to her face, "All I know is that when I get home from the office and I see that smiling little face running over to me. Everything is all right."

"He does the same thing for me," Garrett nods, swiping a lone tear from his cheek, "He's pretty special."

"He's so special." She nods, "I just can't believe this is happening. I mean… we've always known about the beta-thalassemia but I never thought that anything serious would happen. From what the doctor's have always said… they always told us that it was minor and could be controlled with the supplements that he was on, I just…"

"I know… It kind of came out of nowhere… but I guess these things usually do." He watches as she nods, looking down at the cup in her hand again.

"My daughter… Kristina… She was in the hospital when she was about Daniel's age with Aplastic Anemia." Alexis clears her throat, "She, um… she needed a bone marrow transplant."

"Oh, wow…" Garrett's brow rose in shock, "I had no idea."

"Yeah…" Alexis nods as the tears begin to overflow from her eyes, "Sam's… Sam's baby girl saved her life."

"Sam's baby girl?" He hands her another tissue, waiting as composes herself.

Alexis nodded, "Sam had another baby when she was young. Before we knew that she was my daughter…" Her mind wandered back to that time and her heart sank at the memories, "But… um… she lost her… she was still born."

"Oh my God…" He couldn't help but shake his head in disbelief. It pained him to know of all the things his daughter had been through in her life.

"She named her Lila…" Alexis smiled at the mention of the name that she held so close to her heart, "Lila's stem cells… the stem cells from the umbilical cord saved Kristina's life."

"What an awful situation."

"It was." She sniffled; he could tell she wasn't comfortable elaborating on the situation. "And now… this is all just too familiar. I can't bear the thought of anything happening to Daniel. I just can't. We couldn't take it."

"Lex…" He grips her hand a little tighter, "Daniel is going to pull through this. He will be fine. Okay?"

"We don't know that, though, Garrett…" She shook her head, "We don't know that."

"You're right… we don't. But what I do know is that I have faith." He looked deeply into her eyes, "I have faith because that's what brought me here… faith is what brought me here to Sam and Danny and _you._ And life has a way of working out. It does… and I know that Danny is going to pull through this."

"What if he needs a bone marrow transplant like Kristina?" She cried at the thought, "It's so hard to find a donor. You have to be put on a list and the only way to beat that is if it's a family member and siblings are usually the only match."

"We will cross that bridge when it comes, okay?" Garrett spoke softly, prompting Alexis to nod and wipe her tears again.

"I have to calm down…" She shook her head and took a deep cleansing breath, "I have to calm down. If Sam sees me like this she's going to be even more worried than she already is."

"Okay… but you don't have to be the strong one, you know." He reassured, "I know that you want to be, for Sam. And that's fine. But don't try and hold this all together by yourself, okay? I'm here… I'm here for you and for Sam… and I'm not going anywhere."

"Thanks," She gratefully met his eyes for a moment before breaking the gaze and looking down at her phone in her lap, "I, um… I called Michael. He said that he would go to the house so he was there when Molly got home from school and he can bring her here."

"That's a good idea."

"I didn't want to tell her over the phone… and then have her driving here when she was upset." She sighs, "Michael said he would call when they were on their way."

"Good… Um… Sonny wanted me to let you know that if you need anything just to call him. I called him and updated him on everything."

"Thank you…" She smiled softly, "I really appreciate that."

"No problem." Garrett continued to hold her hand tight.

"Mom!?" The sound of Molly's voice broke their gaze as Alexis turned swiftly and then rose to meet her daughter.

"Hi sweet heart…" Alexis hugged her, meeting eyes with Michael as he trailed behind.

"Sorry we didn't call." Michael apologized.

"It's okay." She smiled softly, leaning back to look into her daughter's eyes that looked pleadingly into hers.

"How's Danny?"

"He's okay… they just took him down for some tests, but Monica said they should be back in the room shortly."

"Sam is with him, right?"

"Yes," Alexis reassured her worried young daughter.

Molly looked between Garrett and her mother, resting on the pepper haired man at her mother's side, "Michael… Michael said that you were the one that brought Sam and Danny to the hospital?"

"Uh… yeah. I mean, I just drove them here." He shrugged, slightly uncomfortably.

"I'm so glad you were there for Sam…"

"Just the right place at the right time, Thank God." Garrett smiled as he placed his hands in his pockets.

"Yes, well…" Alexis turned to him, "I think we're all very glad Garrett was there…"


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: I was going to wait to upload this chapter but I know there are some Sam and Alexis fans out there that would probably like a chapter with them so I'm posting it now. :)  
**

**P.S. Quick edit. **

Chapter 16

Alexis peaked through the window of her grandson's hospital room before entering. She smiled when she saw Sam lying in bed with her son sleeping in the crook of her arm while she stared at the ceiling. She broke the stare when her mother carefully opened the door and entered with a bag of take out and two coffees.

"Hey…" Alexis whispered as she forced a smile and made her way to the table to set the things down, "I brought you a sandwich."

"I'm not hungry…" Sam focused back on Danny, brushing her hand along his hairline as he continued to sleep.

"Honey, you have to eat something…" Her mother prodded gently, not wanting to push her clearly fragile daughter.

"I will." She reassured, "I'm just not hungry right now."

"Okay," Alexis nodded after watching her daughter carefully. She moved closer to the bed, leaning over to place a kiss on Daniel's head, "How's he doing?"

"He's just been sleeping…" Sam sniffled as she cuddled him close, "He hasn't wanted to eat… anything. They say if he doesn't eat, they will have to put him on supplemental nutrition."

"Oh," Alexis felt her heart drop, "Well, that's okay… I mean, it's only temporary, right?" She watched as Sam nodded solemnly.

"I know, it just seems so…" She stopped talking, her eyes filling with tears.

"It's okay, sweetie…" Alexis soothed.

"No it's not." Sam shook her head. "I can't be crying all of the time… I don't want to scare Danny even more than he already is. He can sense that I'm upset."

"You're right… he can." She brushed her daughter's hair behind her ear, "But you need to allow yourself to express how you're feeling. If you need to leave for a minute and take a walk, and cry… then you need to do that."

"I can't leave him." Her mother wiped away the lone tear that had fallen to her cheek.

"I know that you feel that way, sweetheart, but you need to, okay?"

"Mom. I can't." Sam watched as her stern tone startled her mother, before she retreated slightly, "I'm sorry…"

"You don't have to be sorry." She sighed, "I may not know exactly how you are feeling… but I think I know better than anyone else." She watched Sam's eyes fill with tears as she agreed, "I don't want you to burn out… You need to take care of yourself so that you can take care of your son. That's why you have family around you to help you. I am here for you and for Danny. I will do whatever you need me to… whatever Daniel needs, I am here."

"Thank you…" Sam nods through her tears, allowing her mother to hug her shoulders tightly. "Mom… I'm so sorry. I'm sorry that I keep acting like this…"

"Like what?" Her mother questioned softly.

"Like I'm the only one that's ever been through this…" She shook her head, "let alone the only one going through it now. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, sweetheart," Alexis smiled softly as she cup her daughter's cheek with her hand. "and don't worry about how to act. You are always so caring and understanding… just because you're worried about your son doesn't make you any less that way."

"Okay." Sam smiled, looking down as Danny stirred and rubbed his eyes before looking up at her and her mother, "Hey buddy. Did you have a nice little nap?"

Danny nodded, shifting his eyes to rest on his grandmother.

"Hello there, lovebug." Alexis smiled.

"Doose?" He questioned softly as he looked around.

"You want some juice, baby?" Alexis questioned prompting Danny to nod, she retrieved the sippy cup from the bedside table and handed it to him.

"Tan-too." His voice was quiet but clear and Alexis couldn't help but chuckle at his manners.

"You're welcome, sweetheart." She smiled softly, as she ran her hand along his cheek. They all looked up at the knock at the door.

"Hi…" Molly smiled as she peaked around the door cautiously.

"Danny! Aunt Molly's here!" Sam announced her sister's arrival excitedly for Danny.

"An 'Olly!" Danny watched as his aunt entered the room and stood at the end of the bed with two overnight bags.

"Hey Danny… how are you feeling, buddy?"

"Dood." He nodded slightly as he continued to drink his sippy cup. The girls all laughed at his response. Their boy was well-versed in small talk.

"That's good." Molly looked between her mom and her sister, "How are you guys doing?"

"We're fine, Mol…" Alexis reassured her daughter who she could tell was just as worried as they were, "Were you able to find everything okay?"

"Yeah," Molly nodded as she set the bags on the empty chair by the window, "Danny, I brought your favorite Buzz Lightyear jammies!" She smiled as he watched her carefully, curiously waiting to see them pulled from the bag.

"Maybe in a little bit after you see the doctor you can put them on, okay?" Sam spoke softly, kissing his head.

Alexis watched her daughter and then turned back to Molly, "Um… Molly… did you eat yet?"

"Uh… no." She understood her mother's glance, and quickly turned to her sister, "Sam… do you want to maybe go get something to eat?"

"It's okay, Mol… Mom brought me a sandwich. I'm not really hungry, anyway…" Sam caught her mother's eyes.

"Honey, why don't you at least take a walk with your sister, hmm?"

"Not now…" Sam looked down at her son, "I mean, he's awake now. I don't want to leave him."

"Sam… look at him," Alexis smiled as Sam followed her instruction and looked down at her son drinking his juice, "He's doing fine right now. He's awake and alert and drinking his juice like a good boy, huh?" They both chuckled watching as Danny nodded his head, his eyes wide as saucers. "Danny, would it be okay if mommy went with aunt molly for a minute while I stayed here with you?"

Sam watched as Danny nodded again and looked up at his mother curiously, "Okay…" She sighed before kissing his head and then getting up from the bed, "Mommy will be right back, okay?"

"Tay," Danny answered with a nod from behind his sippy cup.

Alexis rubbed her daughter's back as she passed her, "He'll be fine. I promise. I'll stay right here with him."

"Okay." Sam nodded, before hugging her mother tightly, "Thank you… I love you, mom."

"I love you more." Alexis kissed her head before Molly ushered them out of the room. She turned back to Danny who was still happily drinking his juice and watching the exchanges with bright blue eyes, "I think you are looking so much better!" She smiled as she sat on the edge of his bed, leaning over to kiss him several times on his cheek prompting a giggle.

"Gummaahh!" He squealed.

"What?" She paused innocently as he giggled watching her in anticipation, instead she just smiled and placed a hand to his cheek, "I love you…"

"Yub you!" He pointed to her with a grin, prompting her to peck his cheek one more time.

"Guess what?" Alexis asked playfully as Danny's eyebrows raised in curiosity, "I think I might have something special from Kelly's for you in this bag…" As she pulled out the foiled sandwich Danny smiled excitedly.

"Gill cheese?"

"Yes!" Alexis laughed as she set it on the tray table and unwrapped it, "Are you hungry? Do you want some?" He nodded, "Well that's good, because I got it especially for you and we wouldn't want to waste it!"

After situating the sandwich on the table she used the controls to raise the bed a little bit and brought the table over to him where he sat waiting patiently. She tore off a few small pieces and sat them in front of him, "Let's go slow, okay? We don't want to get a tummy ache…"

"Tay..." He nodded before putting one piece of grilled cheese into his mouth as he still held tight under his arm the cup he was previously so enthralled in. His eyes lit up, "MmmM!"

"Is that good?" She smiled happily at his brightened face and even more happily at the fact that he was eating, "You're such a good boy, Daniel…"

"Gumma want?" Danny smiled as he held out a piece of the sandwich to her.

"No thank you, baby… I don't want it. It's just for you." She watched as he nodded and took another piece carefully into his mouth, being sure to go slow like she said. His eyes wandered past her and lit up at the site.

"Papa!" Danny smiled, prompting Alexis to turn and find Garrett standing in the doorway.

"Hey buddy!" Garrett smiled as he walked to the bed with one hand behind his back. He smiled to Alexis before looking back to Danny, "I brought you something…"

"Oh! Papa brought you a present?" Alexis questioned excitedly watching as Danny's face lit up when Garrett pulled the item from behind his back.

"Neemoh!" Danny smiled as his Papa handed him the orange and white stuffed fish and he cuddled it close.

"Aww…" Alexis cooed, looking back to Garrett, "That's really cute. He loves it."

"I figured you might want some company in that big huge bed." He smiled to Danny, and then gestured to the sandwich, "You having some dinner?"

Alexis watched as the little boy nodded and took another small piece of sandwich, "Yeah… actually this is the first sign of an appetite all day."

"He's looking pretty good," He enthused and then looked around, "Sam went out?"

"Yes, I finally got her to leave for a minute and get some air. She and Molly went for a walk… possibly for some food or something. Sam hasn't eaten either."

"She's worried sick." Garrett commented as he took a seat in the chair next to the bed.

"I know… I just don't want her to make herself sick." She sighs, "I just want her to lean on us… she's not very good at that .She likes to just take everything on herself."

"Wonder where she gets that from." He smirks.

"Right." Alexis nods as she tears off another piece of sandwich and hands it to Danny, "She's afraid to leave him… but I think it's good if she does once and a while. He can sense her worry… she needs to let it go a little bit. Go for a walk and let it out."

Garrett smiled in agreement, "You know her pretty well."

"Well, we're a lot alike…" She smirks before glancing back to give Danny a little more of the sandwich, to which he pushes away. "Are you full, sweetie?"

Garrett face falls as he watches Danny lay his head back on the pillow and his blinking begin to slow, "Lex…" He watches as she pushes away the table to get closer to Danny, placing a hand to his forehead.

"He feels warm…" Alexis brushes his hair away from his face, observing his pale complexion, "What just happened? He was fine!" She tried to remain calm, "Danny… sweetie? Can you open your eyes for grandma?"

"I'm going to go get a nurse or a doctor…." Garrett quickly got up from the chair and rushed out of the room.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Hi everyone! I, of course, want to start out by thanking all of the readers and reviewers. You are all making writing and sharing this story so much fun; I truly appreciate the interest and response. **

**I also wanted to point out that a second update was posted on Sat 4/13- Ch. 16. Since it still showed the same update date, I just wanted to make sure that anyone who wanted to read it, didn't miss it. :)**

**Here is Chapter Seventeen... which includes the addition of another little arc to this story. We've been focusing a lot on Alexis' love life, so it's time to shed a little light on Sam's. Hope you like it! **

Chapter Seventeen

"We will monitor him closely over the 24 hours, both during the transfusion and after." The doctor informed Sam, Alexis, Garrett and Molly as they all stood huddled around him while the nurses situated Danny in his bed.

"Is he going to be in any pain?" Sam questioned as she stood with her arms crossed, and her mother's arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"No, he won't be in any pain. He will be fatigued. Probably will sleep through most of the transfusion." He paused, "Now, we are also starting him on the supplemental nutrition I.V. I'm glad to see that he had a little more of his appetite back, but I feel more comfortable being sure that he has all of the nutrition that he needs while his body is going through this procedure."

"Sure," Sam nods, "But will he be able to eat?"

"Yes… he certainly can eat. He just may not want to. But we encourage it. The nutrition supplement is really just to be sure that he is getting the adequate amount of calories and vitamins and minerals. He's a growing little boy and we don't want to disrupt that."

"How long is this going to take?" Alexis questioned.

"The transfusion process will take about two hours… and then of course we will monitor him closely for the next few days to be sure that his condition is improving."

"And if it doesn't improve?" Sam asked; her voice thick with emotion.

"Sam…" Alexis didn't want her daughter to get ahead of herself.

"No, mom… I need to know. I need to know what is going to happen to my son."

"Mrs. Morgan…" The doctor began, "It's not a matter of inevitability here. We are going to do whatever we can to avoid the worst case scenario."

"And what is that?" She wasn't going to just accept a dance around the answers that she needed.

"If the transfusion does not improve Daniel's condition then we will have to look into other options… possibly bone marrow transplantation."

Alexis felt Sam stiffen under her arm. As much as they all knew that it was a possibility, hearing it come from the doctor's mouth was unnerving.

"Momma…" Danny's soft voice was heard from the bed as the nurses began to file out of the room. Sam turned immediately to find him holding out his arms for her, and she gladly answered his plea.

Alexis folded her arms, watching as Sam walked away from them. She then turned back to the doctor, "Um… So, just as a precaution… do you think it would be a good idea for us to begin testing for compatibility?"

"That might be necessary at some point… but I would like to take this one step at a time." The doctor reassured, "I have no reason to believe at this time that Daniel will be unresponsive to this treatment."

"Doctor," Garrett cleared his throat, speaking up from where he stood now between Molly and Alexis, "I have the same blood type as Daniel. I can donate some for him if it's necessary."

"That's good t know. That increases the likelihood that you would be a bone marrow match as well so I will make note of that." The doctor scanned the group, "Listen… you all should try to relax as much as possible and spend time with Daniel. I know he's only two and a half but he's a pretty perceptive little boy. We want to ease his fears as much as possible. That's half the battle when it comes to building strength and overcoming any ailment."

"Of course," Alexis nodded, "Thank you, Doctor."

"I'll be back to check on him in a little while." He nodded to them all before exiting the room.

Alexis met Garrett's eyes and took a deep breath before turning around to face her daughter and grandson. Sam was seated beside Danny's bed, holding his hand and stroking his cheek. Alexis forced a bright face and a small smile when Danny's eyes locked with hers and he weakly lifted his free left hand.

"Gumma…" Danny's voice was muffled from behind his pacifier.

"Yes, baby… I'm right here…" Alexis spoke softly as she made her way to the other side of his bed and took his outstretched hand.

Garrett watched them for a moment before glancing over at Molly, "I'll, uh… I'll be outside…"

"Okay…" Molly watched as he exited quietly. She turned back to her mother and sister, "Do you guys want anything? Some water or coffee?"

"Yeah sweetie," Alexis gave her a reassuring smile, "I think a couple bottles of water would be really nice."

"Sure… I'll be right back…" Alexis watched as Molly left before turning back to her daughter and glancing down at Danny who now appeared to be sleeping as he still held tight to both of their hands.

"I think he feels a little warm, don't you?" Sam questioned her mother as she rested the back of her hand on Danny's cheek.

"No, honey… I think he's fine." Reaching across the bed, she placed a hand on Sam's arm, "I know it's hard… but, try to relax okay. They are monitoring him very closely… if his fever spikes or anything goes wrong they will be here in a second okay?"

"Okay…" Sam nodded but she was still uneasy, "Um… you think everything is okay with Garrett?"

"I think so…" Alexis nodded as she smoothed Danny's hair.

"I mean, he just seemed a little uncomfortable or something." She shrugged, "I hope he knows that he's more than welcome here…"

"He knows, honey…" Her mother smiles, "I think he's probably just worried like we are and needed a little time."

"Yeah," Sam smiles in Danny's direction, "Danny loves him so much. I'm so glad he's a part of his life. I've always been worried he would never get the chance to have a male figure in his life."

"I know you have, but does have Garrett… and that's wonderful," Alexis drew a deep breath, "But you know there are still other options out there for you…"

"Mom…" Sam sighed audibly with a roll of her eyes. She wasn't too keen on the change of subject, but was grateful for the distraction

"I'm just saying, I don't think it's a good idea for you to close the door, that's all."

"I'm not closing any doors…"

"He called me again this morning. He's really worried about the two of you." Alexis reminded gently.

"That's really sweet..." She comments softly, "I really appreciate that."

"And that's it, huh?"

"Mom… it's just… I don't know." Sam shrugged, unable to find the right words.

"Listen… I've been avoiding talking about this for a while. But you and Danny need as much support as you can get right now and for you to turn away…"

"I'm not turning anyone away."

"Then what happened?" Alexis prodded tenderly, watching as Sam averted her gaze and turned back to her son.

"We just… I don't know. It just didn't work."

"It didn't work… it seemed to be working just fine." Alexis paused, studying her daughter carefully, "Sam… what happened the night of your accident?"

"I told you… I was on my way home and I hit some standing water and lost control."

"I know that much. I mean, what happened before you got into your car that night?" She watched as her daughter turned away from her and began to fuss with Daniel's blankets.

_She knocked lightly on his office door before turning the knob and peaking in to find him sitting at his desk looking over some paperwork, "Hey…" _

_"Oh, hey!" Lucky smiled brightly as she entered, the reaction that he usually had when seeing her. "What's up?" _

_"Umm…" Sam took a deep breath, "Just on my way home from work and thought I'd stop by." _

_"Oh… okay… Um, I'm working the late shift tonight…" _

_"Yeah, I… I know… Um…" _

_"Is there something wrong?" He could tell by her fidgety movements that something was. _

_"No. Um… no… I just." She sighed before continuing, "Lucky… I'm sorry, I'm going to have to cancel dinner for tomorrow night." _

_"Oh." He was surprised, and a little taken aback, "Is everything okay?" _

_"Yeah… everything is fine. I just…" She shook her head and felt her eyes begin to sting with the threat of fresh tears, "Lucky… these past couple months with you back in town have been really amazing. I mean…" _

_"Sam?" He was having a hard time understanding where this was coming from. As far as he knew everything was fine, "Sam, I told you… I don't want anything more than a friendship right now… a couple dates…" _

_"Yeah, but you and I both know that we can't do that," Sam smiled, "Lucky, there's a lot between us. I mean… we have history and it's hard to ignore that." _

_"And you obviously have misgivings…" Lucky sighed as he leaned back on his desk. _

_"It's not that… I just don't know if I'm ready for this. I feel us moving towards something and I don't know if I'm in the right place. I just feel like I need to put the brakes on for a second." _

_"Okay…" He nodded, "I understand that, but it sounds to me like you're setting the parking break…" _

_"I'm not…" _

_"Sam, listen… I understand where you are coming from. We've both been through a lot of love and loss and I feel the same way about moving too fast in this. But I really like you. I love spending time with you and Danny. I've always loved spending time with you." _

_"I know. I love spending time with you too," She was crying now, unable to choke back her feelings. _

_"So why are you doing this? I mean, I understand taking a step back. Okay, so no dinner tomorrow night. A little time just to reevaluate…" _

_"No, I can't…" She shook her head as the tears flowed from her eyes, "I'm so sorry, Lucky… I really just don't think I can do this." _

_"Sam…" He watched as she wiped her tears and swiftly walked about of his office, closing the door behind her. _

"Sam?" Alexis watched as she drew her daughter from the daydream and once again met her eyes, "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine…"

"Like I said… when you're ready to talk about whatever it is that happened…"

"I broke up with him." She shrugged as she spoke bluntly.

"Well, I gathered that much when he suddenly was no longer around." Alexis chided.

"Momma…" They both turned back to Danny who was stirring in the bed, waking from his short nap, "Momma…"

"What is it, baby?" Sam was responsive to the whine in her little one's voice.

"Momma…" Danny pouted as tears welled in his eyes. Alexis' heart broke as she listened to her grandson's exhausted cry.

"I'm right here, honey… right here." Sam smiled as she leaned closer to him and wiped his tears, "Mommy is right here…"

Alexis wiped a stray tear from her own cheek and then felt Danny's little hand tighten around her thumb. She forced a smile before placing a kiss to his forehead, "It's okay baby… you're all right. You are going to be all right…" She silently prayed that she was right.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Hi everyone! Thank you to everyone who reading and reviewing this. I have to say that my life is getting in the way and I'm not writing as much as I was before. I'm going to try to stay motivated for updates, the reviews always help with that. **

**This chapter gave me a little inspiration for a title change... so I did just that. I hope it wasn't too confusing for anyone! :) **

**Here is the next chapter... :) (quick edit... don't judge. LOL) **

Chapter Eighteen

"And when you come home I think we will all have a little movie night and watch all of your favorites… and eat popcorn," Alexis brightened her eyes as Daniel looked up at her from where he was snuggled in her lap, "Doesn't that sound fun?" She smiled at his nod before kissing his head and continuing their back and forth motion in the rocking chair.

It had been a long day during and after Danny's transfusion treatment. He slept through most of it and once the process was over, was actually interested in eating and drinking a small amount. Sam had been by his side through the whole process and after… as the doctors, of course, monitored him closely. They were clear to note that he was still not out of the woods, but he appeared to be improving.

Alexis had, again, convinced Sam to take some time away. It was getting late and she could tell her daughter was growing weary. Danny was perking up a little… while everyone else was wearing down. Now that the transfusion was done, the doctor was allowing Danny to get out of bed and be held and it was helping, as that was really all that the little boy had wanted.

She couldn't help but smile as she watched his eyes wander around the room, holding tightly to her hand and rubbing his thumb against her manicured one; a soothing habit he always did when he was tired or not feeling well.

"I know you don't like it here, honey," She soothed as she rested her cheek against his light brown waves, "But it won't be long before you are all better and you can go home and sleep in your own little bed." She lifted her head when he turned to look at her, "You know… I hate hospitals too. The doctors are always poking at you and trying to take your blood and asking you silly questions." She chuckled slightly when he promptly rested his head back against her shoulder. She adjusted the stuffed "Nemo" so that it wouldn't fall off of their laps, prompting Danny to hug it close, "You love that Nemo that Papa gave you, huh?"

"Neeemoh," Danny nods.

"Yes, Nemo." Alexis laughed. "You know, Daniel, you are one lucky little boy. On top of having so much love from your mommy and your aunts… and _me…_your Papa loves you so much." She once again rested her cheek atop his head as she gazed into space, "And he's pretty calming in a crisis… thank God, because, well, you know me." She quipped, meeting Danny's wide blue eyes, "I guess we're all pretty lucky aren't we? Maybe I should stop worrying so much, huh? Anything could happen at any time… I mean, look at what we've been through in the past week. We should all just enjoy the time that we have together."

Alexis broke her gaze when Danny squirmed, turning to face her with his arms outstretched, "What's the matter, baby?"

"Up, Gumma," He prodded, "'tand up!"

"Yes, sir. Aye, aye, captain!" Alexis rolled her eyes with a small laugh as she lifted him into her arms and stood from the chair, rolling the tall I.V. cart beside them to stand by the window where the late afternoon dusk was settling in. She swayed from side to side as Danny curiously looked out the window while he continued to grip tightly to the stuffed animal at his side. The return of his bossy attitude was a good sign; she studied him intently, brushing his hair back with her free hand. "I don't know about breaking down these walls though, Danny. I think I do pretty well in my safe place… surrounded by my morals. Sounds exciting, right?" She sighs, "But the only time I get into trouble is when I step out of that safe place, so what lesson is that teaching me?"

"Buh-dee!" Danny points with a smile from behind his pacifier, "See buh-dee, Gumma!"

"Yes! I see the birdies," Alexis kisses his cheek, "are you feeling better, pumpkin?" She couldn't hide her relief when he nodded, hoping that he was right. As she continued to sway back and forth, she began rubbing circles in Danny's back once he had rested his head against her shoulder with a yawn. It wasn't long before she found herself yawning and they both headed back to the rocking chair while Danny drifted to sleep and Alexis drifted into her own thoughts.

_"Lex, please… please come back…" _

_"Why, Garrett?" Alexis turned on her heels and folded her arms across her midsection, "Why, so that you can tell me more lies about your life? What? Do you have other girlfriends that you keep on the side?" _

_"No, Lex…" Garrett sighed, he was still too weak to fully protest and wanted nothing more than for her to sit down for a moment so that he could try to explain. "Please, just sit here for just a few minutes. Give me a few minutes and then you can get up, walk out of that door, and never give me another minute again." _

_Still with her arms crossed, she complied, taking a seat on the stool beside his bed. Now that she was closer he could see her eyes glassy with tears and the weariness in her face. "Why? Why didn't you tell me?" _

_"I'm so sorry… I never meant to hurt you…" _

_"Oh, well," She quipped, "That just makes it all better than, right? Because you didn't mean to?" _

_"No… I just want you to know that. I never expected this to happen." _

_"Right!" A sarcastic smile crossed her face and she tried to mask the tears as she swiftly rose from the seat, "You never expected that I would find out… you just thought, what? What did you think, Garrett? That you could live a double life? Have me over here with your new little family in Port Charles and then go home once and a while to appease your wife?" _

_"Alexis… it's not like that at all!" _

_"I'm sorry… I don't have time to sit here and listen to your stupid excuses. My daughter needs me." _

_"Alexis!" He watches her stop and turn just her head in his direction, "Please, at least tell her that I'm glad she's okay." _

"Mom?" Sam stood in front of her mother, smiling at the sight of Danny snuggled peacefully in her arms, "Mom?"

"Hmm?" Alexis looked up to find Sam standing in front of her with two coffees in hand and a small paper bag, "I'm sorry, honey, I didn't see you there."

"I know." Sam chuckles, setting the coffee and the bag on the bedside table, "I brought you coffee and a cookie."

"Thank you," Alexis smiled as her daughter ran a hand along Danny's head that was buried in her shoulder.

"How is he?" She whispered.

"I think he's doing better." Alexis smiled, "He just fell asleep… but before he was very alert and ordering me around just like normal."

"Oh, well that's a good sign," Sam laughed as she sat on the edge of the bed, "I can take him and put him back in bed…"

"No…" Her mother protested, hugging Danny close, "He's comfortable here, I think."

"He looks it. Thank you, mom."

"For what, honey?"

"Just for being here and helping me out. Forcing me to take a walk and eat and get some air, even when I don't want to."

"Well thank you for letting me help." Alexis grasped her daughter's hand, "I love you… both of you, so much."

"I love you…" Sam smiled, shifting her eyes to her son, "and my little boy certainly loves you too." She watches her mother's face soften while she continues to hold Danny close, "Um… Garrett's outside. He said he can drive you home when you're ready."

"Oh," Alexis paused, "Are you sure you don't want me to stay?"

"Yeah… I'm sure." Sam smiled, "Looks like Danny's doing much better tonight and I'm sure that your back would really appreciate a reprieve from that hard window seat over there…"

"You're probably right…" Alexis looked down at the peaceful toddler sleeping soundly in her arms, she cast her now teary eyes back to her daughter, "You know how many times I look at him sleeping like this… and I wonder if that's what you looked like when you were his age?"

"Yeah?"

"And then I start thinking about what might have happened if you never came to Port Charles… if we never found each other… I would have never gotten this chance."

"Mom…" She sighed, taking her mom's hand.

"But we did find each other." Alexis smiled through her tears, "It's really amazing when you think about it, isn't it?"

"It is…" Sam nods, "So amazing."

"Some things are just meant to be. Life has a way of working itself out, I guess."

"I think so."

"How do you know, though? I mean… how do you know when something will just work itself out and you should go with the flow? What if you think that's the case… because fate has brought you just so far… but really you end up making the wrong choice?"

Sam met her mother's weary and confused eyes before leaning over to plant a kiss to her cheek, "Follow your heart." She advised, as she carefully lifted Danny from her arms to which he squirmed before Sam calmed him in her own. "That's all that you can do."

"Yeah…" Alexis sighed as she stood, grabbing her purse and her coffee from the table, "I'll leave the cookie for a little midnight snack for you two."

"Okay," Sam smiled as she observed her mother kiss Danny's head.

"I love you, sweet boy. I'll see you in the morning." She smiled, turning to Sam for another kiss, "I love you, too. Thanks for the advice."

"Anytime…" Sam answered with a wink, cuddling her son close as her mother left the room.


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Hello! As always, huge thank you to all of my readers and reviewers. I love reading your reactions to the updates. :) This next chapter turned out to be a little long... but also is a little long overdue. So, I hope you enjoy it. :) **

**(As usual, probably not the most thorough edit. ;)) **

Chapter Nineteen

_She swallowed hard as she slowly made her way back towards Sam's cubicle. She felt like she was going to be sick, and was starting to feel like she couldn't breathe. Sam didn't need that, though. She had to put on a strong face because her daughter needed to focus on getting well, not on whatever drama was about to transpire between her mother and father. _

_Slowly pulling back the curtain she smiled softly when Sam's brown eyes landed on hers, "Hi sweetheart." _

_"Hi…" _

_"Are you feeling a little better?" Alexis soothed as she made her way to the bed, grasping her daughter's hand when she arrived. _

_"Yeah, they gave me some serious drugs," Sam chuckled weakly, gesturing to the fresh I.V. bag hanging beside her. _

_"That's good!" She chuckled, "Just as long as you are feeling better, that's all that matters." _

_"Yeah," Sam smiled, "How's Danny?"_

_"He's fine," Alexis reassured quickly, "I just got off of the phone with Molly, she said that she gave him a bath and they were getting ready to read a story. And she wanted me to tell you that she loves you and she can't wait to see you." _

_"I love her too," Sam's eyes filled with tears, prompting her mother to place a hand to her cheek. _

_"What's wrong, honey?" _

_"Nothing," Sam sniffed, calming herself down, "Really, nothing, I think I'm just emotional after everything that happened tonight." _

_"Do you remember what happened?" _

_"Yeah…" Sam paused for a moment thinking back on the events that had transpired that evening, "Um… I hit some standing water… I just hit it and lost control and that's the last thing I can remember." _

_"Okay…"Alexis nodded as she wiped her daughter's tears as she studied her mother carefully. _

_"Mom, is something wrong with you?" _

_"No," Alexis shook her head, "But, um… I do have to tell you that Garrett is here too… He was hurt, but he's fine." _

_"What happened?" _

_"He and I…" Alexis cleared her throat looking away before meeting eyes with her daughter, "We went looking for you. We found you in your car, practically wrapped around the tree and he pulled you out just before it caught on fire. He cut his leg pretty badly in the process, and apparently that is where you get your tendency to bleed because he lost a lot of blood very fast." _

_"Oh my God," Sam was shocked and a little guilty that she had caused her father to be injured, "Is he okay?"_

_ "He's fine, honey. He passed out… but a second ambulance came and picked him up after we left with you." _

_"Thank God he's okay…" Sam sighed, casting her eyes into her mother's again, "He saved my life." _

_"Yeah, he… he did," She nodded, looking away from her daughter as she cleared her throat again. _

_"Mom? What's going on?" _

_"What?" She looked back to her, in faux surprise of her daughter's question. _

_"Something else is going on here… you're upset about something." _

_"I'm just a little shaken up, honey!" Alexis chuckled, "I mean, my daughter was just in a serious car accident that left her unconscious, don't you think I have a right to be a little uneasy?" _

_"Well, yeah…" Sam conceded, "But it's more than just that. You're uncomfortable about something." _

_"Sam… you need to rest," She soothingly brushed her hand along her daughter's hairline. _

_"Mom…" _

_"Samantha…." _

_"Mom, seriously. I'm fine." She rolled her eyes. _

_"You have a concussion!" Alexis scolded, "You need your rest, now stop worrying about me and focus on yourself!"She watched as Sam opened her mouth to protest but quickly closed it with a sigh, casting her eyes upward to her mother almost like a little girl. _

_"I'm hungry." Sam whined, prompting a smile to cross her mother's face. _

_"Well, I think that's a good sign. What would you like?" _

_"Ice cream." _

_"Ice cream… okay…" Alexis looked around, "Well, I think I can probably go to the cafeteria and manage that. Will you be okay here by yourself?" _

_"Yep," Sam nodded, gesturing to the bag above her head, "Me and my friend up there, we'll be just fine." _

_"All right," Her mother chuckled, kissing her hand before getting up to walk out. "I will be right back." _

_"With ice cream." _

_"With ice cream." Alexis winked, blowing her daughter a kiss before she disappeared behind the curtain. _

_"Nurse!" _

_Alexis' head turned swiftly to the familiar voice and found the blonde woman from earlier exiting Garrett's cubicle. _

_"Yes?" Epiphany responded. _

_"My husband seems to be a little uncomfortable. Is there any way you can get him something for pain? Possibly another pillow to elevate his foot?" _

_"Sure… I will get right on that." Epiphany rolled her eyes._

_"Excuse me?" _

_"Mr. Newman has already had his allotment of pain meds," Epiphany reassured, "We will be able to give him more within the next few hours." _

_"Thank you." The blonde woman nodded before spotting Alexis standing off to the side, watching the interaction. She quickly made her way towards her, "Excuse me? Mam?" _

_"Yes?" Alexis raised a brow. _

_"I'm sorry, but I was just… well, I wanted to thank you for letting me know where my husband was…" _

_"Oh." Alexis folded her arms as she shifted uncomfortably, "You're… uh… you're welcome." _

_"I'm Julie," The woman smiled as she outstretched her hand, "How do you know Garrett?" _

_"Oh, uh…" Alexis brought her hand back to the fold after shaking the ever so eager and friendly woman in front of her. "I'm really sorry… I have to go get something for my daughter. I can't keep her waiting." _

_"Oh. Okay… well, thank you again." The woman smiled sweetly._

_"Sure," She nodded before quickly rounding the corner. _

As they pulled into the driveway of the Lakehouse, he glanced over to the passenger seat where Alexis sat, looking out the window into the dark night. Garrett had thought that maybe in light of everything that had happened, things were turning around with them, but tonight he wasn't so sure. She hadn't said a word through the entire ride from the hospital to her house.

Garrett watched her carefully, a slight relief washing over him when she finally met his eyes with a smile.

"Thank you for driving me home…"

"Of course," He nodded, "You okay?"

"Yeah," Alexis studied her hands as they lay clasped in her lap, "I'm just tired..."

"Danny's okay, Lex," Garrett's tone was soft as he reassured her, "He looked so much better when we left."

"I know," Alexis agrees with a smile, "I just don't like leaving them…I mean, if something happened…"

"We would be there in 5 minutes." He watched her watery eyes meet his.

"Okay," She nodded, "I'm sorry… I think the past week must be catching up with me… I don't know why I'm so emotional."

"It's all right… really. You have every right to be emotional."

"Do you, uh…" She cleared her throat, looking back to him, "Would you like to come in… have a glass of wine?"

"Are you sure…"

"I wouldn't be offering if I wasn't." She chided, "Molly's staying the night at her friend's."

"You don't want some alone time?" He raised a brow, watching as she chuckled a little.

"Are you coming in or not?"

"Okay," Garrett surrendered as Alexis helped herself out of the car and he soon followed, standing behind her as she unlocked the door and guided them both into the dark and quiet house, "Wow… I don't think I've ever seen this house so empty."

"Yeah, I know." She nodded, tossing her purse and keys on the table, "I hate it." She sighed, pulling the bottle of red wine and two goblets from the buffet. She quickly began to struggle with the cork, "Sometimes I really don't know what I did before I had children. Well, yes, I do. I worked. All of the time."

"Here," He accepted the bottle of wine and put the cork screw to use, "You still work all of the time."

"No, I don't…" She accepted her freshly filled goblet, "Thank you. I mean… I used to constantly be working. I would take on these huge complex cases that I would stay up all night preparing for. I basically ate, slept and breathed my cases. I mean, I lived across the hall from Sonny when I first represented him." She shook her head at the memory, how her life had changed.

"I always knew you would be an amazing attorney." He smiled as they made their way to the sofa.

"You didn't even know I was going to be an attorney! _I_ didn't even know!" Alexis chuckled as she sat down on the sofa and Garrett sat beside her.

"Oh, I knew… I had never, and will never, encounter someone who can argue like you can." He watched as she smiled cheekily, "I knew you would either be a lawyer or a politician… the latter is still a possibility."

"Oh, no thank you." She shook her head, stopping long enough to sip her wine, "Politics is much too frustrating. Justice is justice. That's what I'm passionate about."

"And damn good at, too." Garrett smiled as they clinked their glasses. "Do you ever miss it?"

"What?"

"Those cases that would keep you up all night…"

"Not really…" Alexis smiled wistfully. It was rare that she thought about her early career, "Now I have children to do that."

"Touché," He laughed and then met her smiling eyes, pausing for a moment as he gazed into them, "You know… I've, uh… I've really missed this."

"Yeah," She nodded, looking down at the glass she cradled in her hands, "Me too. And I want to thank you, too… you've been amazing through all of this. We wouldn't have been able to get through it without you."

"Oh… no, I'm sure that you would have." Garrett smiled, "I'm just glad that I could be here."

"I am too…" She met his eyes, hers once again filling with tears, "I hope you know that. I really am so glad you are here."

"Yeah?" He sipped his wine, watching as her eyes shifted uncomfortably.

"Do you… uh… want to talk?" She asked curiously, "I mean, I owe you that chance… if you still feel like talking."

"I do… if you want to listen…" Garrett observed her carefully as she nodded, "Well… I know you're probably tired of hearing it, but I am sorry."

"I know you are." She again averted her gaze to her glass, "I'm sorry too…"

"Well… how about you give me the chance to tell my story here, before you go on to your undue apology."

Alexis tilted her head back up to him and agreed with a smile.

"You should know… Julie and I have been separated for almost two years."

"Legally?"

"Um… no… not legally." He sighed, "You see, when I left Manhattan and came here, I thought that the legal separation was in progress. I lost sight of everything once I got here and apparently Julie lost sight of her desire to un-marry me."

"She refused the separation?"

"She simply didn't sign it or file the paperwork on her end," He shrugs, "And I, being a little distracted by everything here… I just didn't follow up on it. And I know that I should have."

"Where did she think you were?"

"I moved out two years ago. I've had my own apartment in the city since then."

"But she still didn't wonder where you went? Why she didn't hear from you?"

"I never heard from her… that's the thing. She never reached out to try and contact me or talk anything out." Garrett's eyes widened, "When she showed up in my hospital cubicle that night, I was honestly just as surprised as you were."

"She was very concerned about you…"

"She appeared that way, didn't she?" He smirked, "She probably was hoping I was on my death bed and she could collect her money."

"Really?" Alexis was legitimately surprised, from where she stood that night she was under the impression that Julie Newman was every bit the concerned, loving wife.

"Really," He nodded, "She doesn't care about me, Alexis."

"But why didn't you tell me?" She asked sheepishly, emotion evident in her voice, "I mean, I know I didn't really give you a chance to explain after the fact but… Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I guess I didn't know how. I didn't want to mess things up… alotta good that did me."

"But Garrett… I mean, I would have understood. The only reason that I ended up not being understanding was because I came face to face with your wife not even 3 hours after we slept together."

"I know… and I would have done anything to stop that from happening…I just." He sighs, "I didn't want to chase you away with my crazy, not so ex-wife."

"Well…" Alexis shrugged with a laugh, "This all went well, didn't it."

"Right." He agreed before polishing off his glass of wine.

"Garrett… I have to tell you that I've been doing a lot of thinking…" She paused, "and I have to admit, a large part of my resistance wasn't because of your marriage…"

"I know," He nodded. He did know, but it was still his fault.

"It was so easy…" She smiled, looking him in the eye, "It was so easy to open myself up to you again, Garrett. I looked into your face and I just couldn't resist it. It scared me. I was terrified." Pausing, she looked away, "and then, after a while, I wasn't afraid anymore. I wasn't thinking about the past… I was just thinking about what was happening in every moment that we were together. I trusted you."

"And then it all blew up in your face." He understood, watching as she nodded solemnly.

"I felt like a fool…"

"That… that really breaks my heart." They met eyes again.

"Mine too." She smiles ironically. Reaching out her hand, she clasped it over his as it rested atop his knee. "But, I'm tired, Garrett… I'm tired of being broken." A quiet sob escaped along with a few tears, at her last admission.

"So where do we go from here?" His questioning was quiet, almost shy as he gazed into her tera stained face and prayed that her answer would be favorable.

"I love you…" She smiled through her tears, gripping his hand a little tighter.

"I love you too, Lex."

"You know, I was talking to Danny earlier." She chuckled, "Unloading all of my life thoughts on my sweet little boy and you know what he said to me?"

"What?"

"Grandma, look at the birdies!" Alexis turned back to Garrett and they both burst into laughter, "And I sat down and thought about everything that has happened… and suddenly it didn't matter anymore."

"Lex…"

"It doesn't matter. Because in the end, all we have is each other." She swiped a tear from her cheek, "I want you in my life, Garrett. I'm tired of being sad… I'm tired of being angry."

"Are you sure?" He kept a steady eye on her as she nodded, tears springing from her eyes. "I'd like to promise that I'm never going to hurt you again…"

"Don't," She shook her head, a smile through her tears, "Let's just take it one moment at a time…"

"Okay," Garrett couldn't stop the smile from filling his face. Slowly, he leaned in and their lips met. He laced his hands through her hair, cradling her head softly as he deepened their kiss.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Hello Everyone! I'm afraid I'm about to disappoint with the news that this is the last chapter for this story. I toyed with many different directions that I could take- twists and turns- conflicts and resolutions, but I simply couldn't shake the feeling that it has run it's course. That being said, I'm open for a sequel... as I know there are things that many are curious to know (i.e. How Garrett ended up in PC). I feel like there is definitely more to do with this little family, but it's just hard to do that within the context of the current story. **

**So, here is the last chapter. I thank you all for reading and reviewing this, you really kept me going... and I implore you to continue to do so! Throw me some ideas for what else you would like to see with these characters. Hopefully, I will get some inspiration to come back with a Part II. :) **

Chapter Twenty

What a difference a week makes. As she set the patio table with plates and silverware, Alexis watched a giggling Danny run round the backyard kicking (and tripping over) a soccer ball with Molly. It was hard to believe that just a week ago he was released from the hospital, and a week before that they were worried they were going to lose him. Their Danny was nothing if not resilient and so full of life.

"Mmmm…" Being pulled from her gaze, she inhaled deeply when she felt two strong arms wrap around her midsection from behind. She closed her eyes as she leaned her head back against his shoulder, "I don't think I could ever get tired of this."

"Yeah… you only like me for my cooking skills…" Garrett smirked.

"Well, I can think of a couple other skills that are favorable." She turned slightly to meet his eyes, and his lips, "But that chicken does smell amazing…"

"Oh, I know how it is…" Garrett laughs before kissing her cheek and going back to the grill to tend to said chicken, "This is almost ready. How's everything else?"

"I don't know… I left Sam in the kitchen cutting up salad." She shrugged as she continued to place the wrapped silverware around the table.

"Well I haven't heard any screams or seen any blood so I think we are in good shape so far…"

"Blood?!" Sam exclaimed as she made her way onto the deck with a large bowl in her arms. She looked at her father curiously.

"Your mother told me she left you to cut up the salad…"

"Oh, real nice. Thanks for the vote of confidence, you two." Sam rolled her eyes as her mother took the bowl from her and kissed her forehead.

"You know we love you," glancing down, she lifted her daughter's hand to hers, "What's this?"

"What?" Sam looked at her bandaged thumb curiously, "Oh… well…"

"You cut yourself!" Alexis threw her head back in laughter as she set the bowl on the table.

"Hey, so what? You didn't even know where the kitchen knives were when I asked you!" Sam defended, "You're the one that abandoned me in there and told me the rest was up to me!"

"Blah, blah, blah… you still cut yourself." Her mother chided with a smirk as she set the bowl on the table.

"And you wouldn't know a paring knife if it bit you in the…" Sam broke her stern gaze when her father cleared his throat loudly.

"Girls…" Garrett warned them playfully as he plated the chicken from the grill, "Dinner's ready…"

"Molly, Danny!" Alexis yelled down to the yard, "Come on and wash your hands, dinner is ready!" She watched with a smile as Danny came bounding up the yard and up the stairs with Molly lagging behind.

"Corn?!" He asked excitedly.

"Yes, there's corn just for you!" Alexis ruffled his hair before he ran over to his mother.

"Momma! We hab corn!" Danny practically bounced at the news.

"I know!" Sam laughed, "Go in and get cleaned up with Aunt Molly, okay?"

"Tay!" He nodded before scurrying into the house.

"He loves corn…" Sam shook her head as she headed to the table to begin preparing her son's plate.

"I know," Alexis nodded, situating her own plate and the dishing out some of the salad and vegetables in front of her, "He wanted it for breakfast this morning."

"I can't believe it was only two weeks ago when he didn't want to eat at all," Sam shook her head as she continued to prepare Danny's plate. Alexis noticed her daughter's emotion.

"I know, honey…" Alexis smiled, covering Sam's hand with hers, "But he's doing great, now."

"I know…" Sam nodded, but wasn't too convincing.

"The doctors were shocked at how quickly he bounced back," Garrett's pride was evident in his bright smile as he reassured his daughter, "They don't foresee any future complications at all."

"Yeah, but they didn't foresee anything happening in the first place, did they?" She questioned as she sat down next to the booster seat which was between her and her mother.

Alexis opened her mouth to reassure her, only to be interrupted by Danny and Molly bursting through the screen door causing it to slam against the outside of the house before closing again. As Danny practically hopped over to the table, she gave him a knowing glance, "You know, little boy, one of these days you're going to break that door…"

"Sahwee," Danny looked up at her sheepishly before she lifted him into her arms and into his booster seat on the chair beside her, "I be tahfoo."

"Yes, please be careful…" Alexis bit back her laughter before kissing his head.

"Corn, peese?" He tilted his head, looking skeptically at the cut up chicken and leafy greens on his plate.

"You can have corn," Sam reminded him softly, "But you need to eat your chicken first."

"Wow," Molly looked around at the spread in pleased astonishment, "Man, have I missed this…"

"You Davis women…" Garrett shook his head after taking a bite of his dinner, "All you care about is food…"

"Hey!" Alexis protested, "That's not true! We very much care about who is preparing the food for us!"

"Well, thank you…" Garrett winked, holding their gaze from across the table.

"Mom, did I tell you I got my schedule in the mail yesterday?" Molly's eyes lit up.

"You did? Wow," Alexis shook her head, "I can't believe summer is already over…"

"And I'm going to be a junior in high school!" Molly sang before stuffing her face with her cherished cuisine.

"I still can't believe you can drive…" Sam shook her head, "Seems like just yesterday I taught you how to ride a bike!"

"That's right!" Molly smiled wistfully, "You did teach me how to ride a bike, didn't you?"

"She sure did," Alexis nodded, winking to her eldest daughter.

"It was pretty easy though…" Sam smiled, "Being the genius that you are, you caught on pretty quick."

"Pretty soon I will be able to teach Danny how to ride a bike, huh?" Molly smiled to her nephew who simply nodded as he chomped on his dinner.

"Oh, please… no..." Alexis sighed as she wrapped her arm around her grandson and rested her head atop his, "Don't age him faster than he already is! He needs to stay my baby forever."

"I not a baby!" He protested, a signature scowl on his face at the offensive comment, prompting laughter from the table.

"You're _my _baby." His grandmother chided softly.

"Nuh-uh," He shook his head, "I's big boy!"

"You can be a big boy if you want, but you will always be my baby." Alexis mumbled as she kissed his head before going back to her dinner.

"Don't worry, Danny…" Sam started, drawing her son's attention, "Grandma thinks that I am still a baby, too."

"You _are_ my baby!" Alexis protested, drawing laughs from the group.

"Mine too…" Garrett interjects cheekily, taking a sip of his wine.

"Aww," Molly looked between her mother and Garrett, "How perfect is this?"

"So perfect," Alexis smiled but couldn't help but roll her eyes at her youngest girl's wistfulness, before meeting Garrett's adoring gaze.

"Danny!" Sam scolded as she looked over in time to witness her son swipe his grandmother's corn cob and begin munching away.

"What?" Alexis was confused before looking down at her plate and then at a wide-eyed Danny, "Did you steal that off of my plate?"

He looked at her for a moment before holding the cob in front of her, "Corn?"

"No, thank you…" She chuckled, "You can finish it now."

"Tay," He nods happily before bringing his attention back to his favorite vegetable.

"Sam, did you tell your mom about our plans for tomorrow?" Garrett's brow rose, watching his daughter's face light up.

"Oh!" She grinned, turning towards her mother, "We are going fishing! And you are coming with us!"

"Fishy!"Danny exclaimed, looking between his mother and grandmother.

"Oh…" Alexis glanced around the table, 'That's really a sweet idea…"

"Mooommmm," Molly whined, "Come on! It will be so much fun!"

"I'm sure it will be fun, Molly, for all of _you_ but… I'm not really the boating type." Alexis took a nervous sip of her wine.

"Come on, Lex." Garrett smiled, "You just said yourself, summer is almost over! We have to get in as much boating time as we can."

"Can't we just fish off of that dock out there? There are plenty of little fishies right there…"

"Fishy!" Daniel exclaimed again between bites of corn.

"How fun is that, though?" Sam lowered her gaze to her mother, "You need to confront your fears. I think you would really like boating."

"Whoever said that fears need to be confronted, hmm? I think someone made that up as a way to make people crazy… to lower their self worth."

"Mom…" Sam shook her head, "I don't know how you could be my mother. I _lived_ on the water!"

"Yeah, well," Alexis gestured across the table, "Some things you didn't get from me."

"Thank God!" She threw a smile to her father.

"We all got our love of the water from our dads… except Danny. He got it from his momma."

"And his daddy," She lovingly wiped a few pieces of corn from her son's mouth, "Jason and I used to love to go out on the water. Especially at night."

"It's so romantic…" Molly sighed.

"I'm sure it is. I'm sure it's amazing and so very romantic… it's just not my idea of a good time."

"Danny would really love to show your how good he is at fishing on Papa's boat, don't you baby?" Sam cajoled her son who nodded in response, "Tell grandma to come fishing with us!"

"Fishy, gumma!" Danny smiled sweetly up at her and she melted at the sight. She could resist a lot of things, but Danny's face wasn't one of them.

"I will think about it," She laughed as she brought a napkin to his face in an attempt to clear away the corn debris.

It wasn't later that night that she truly got to thinking… and thanking. She was thanking God and the universe for so many things. It was hard for her to believe that life was really as good as it was. Past experience brought a cloud of worry that something was bound to go wrong, but in the midst of it all she wanted nothing more than to enjoy every moment.

"Hey…" Garrett softly got her attention from where she was sitting on the sofa. She looked up to find him holding two cups of tea, offering her one.

"Thank you…" Alexis smiled as she sipped the hot liquid and took comfort in the company that had now taken a seat beside her. As his arm wrapped around her, she settled comfortably into his shoulder. "What a beautiful day…"

"It certainly was." He agreed, kissing the top of her head softly.

"Thank you for dinner. Molly was right, it was perfect."

"I don't think it was the dinner as much as the company…"

"It felt right," She turned to meet his eyes, "This feels right."

Garrett smiled before leaning closer to meet their lips, prompting Alexis to adjust her seat to deepen it.

"Gumma? 'Tory?"

They both stopped short and couldn't help but chuckle, feeling like they were just caught red handed. Alexis turned towards the top of the stairs where Danny was standing in his pajamas, pacifier in his mouth, blanket in one hand and a storybook in the other.

"Of course, baby… come over here with Papa and me…" Alexis held out her arms as Danny toddled over to the sofa, looking at Garrett curiously.

"Papa 'tory?" He asked as Alexis sat him between them, with a kiss to his temple.

"Let me see that one…" Garrett accepted the green book that was held out to him, "'Goodnight Moon'. This is your favorite, huh?" He smiled when Danny nodded sleepily as Alexis brushed her hand through his hair.

"Do you want Papa to read it?" She watched as Danny looked carefully between the two of them before resting on her.

"My gumma wead…" Danny replied sleepily as he laid his head against her shoulder.

"Okay, I'll read it…" Alexis met Garrett's eyes with a soft smile in her own as she accepted the book from him and rested her reading glasses on the end of her nose, "Let's see here… _In the great green room, there is a telephone and a_ _red balloon and a picture of the cow jumping over the moon…_ "

Her voice was soft and almost melodic as she read their grandson his favorite bedtime story. He watched her… like he had watched her so many times before. But this time it was different. There was no tension, no feelings of impending doom overhead; things were falling into place exactly the way they needed to be. It wasn't going to be easy, and there still were so many outside factors that were standing in their way, but now, in that moment, it was just how it was- perfect. She glanced up at him again, her eyes sparkling in the dim light of the living room before she shifted them back to the picture book in her hands.

_"…goodnight bears, goodnight chairs…_ see the little bears there?" She smiled as Danny nodded and pointed to the picture on the page, "_Goodnight kittens and goodnight mittens…" _

Sam emerged from the hallway in search of her son and his book, only to stop short at the sight in front of her. Her three favorite people cuddled on the sofa together immersed in listening to her mother softly read the words to Danny's story. She couldn't stop the smile from filling her face or the tears spilling from her eyes. How could something so simple symbolize everything she had always wanted… everything that they had all always wanted. Resting against the wall, she crossed her arms and listened to the story, watching every glance and movement between her mother and father as they sat together with her son.

"_…goodnight stars, goodnight air…" _

"'tahr…" Danny pointed to the small star painted in the picture.

"Yes, there's the star…" Alexis smiled, shifting her eyes to meet Garrett's once again, "_Goodnight noises everywhere…" _

"All done," Little Danny held his hands palms up in sad realization.

"Yes, it's all done now…." Alexis kissed his head softly as he yawned, snuggling his head further into the crook of her arm.

"You know what that means…" Sam grinned as she descended the stairs, her parents and Danny turning at the sound of her voice. She took a seat on the coffee table in front of the three, "Bed time, little man."

"Bed time," Danny nodded, losing his pacifier as a yawn overtook his face, only to quickly replace it once he was able.

"You had a long day, huh," Alexis brushed his hair with her hand. Danny nodded again as he looked up at her before turning and wrapping his arms around her neck with his head nestled on her shoulder. "Aww… my sweet boy. I love you," closing her eyes, she savored the moment.

"Yub my gumma," He stayed still in his position as he responded quietly.

"Come on, baby…" Sam stood up, holding out her arms for her son, "Say goodnight to grandma and Papa…"

"Nuh-uh," Danny stayed put, his head and hands still firmly in place, "Gumma do."

Alexis smiled to her daughter, "You want me to tuck you in?"

"Yeah, gumma do."

"Okay, come on." She stood up carefully, Danny never lifting his head or breaking his grasp. She turned him to the view of his mother.

"I'll be in soon, okay?" Sam watched him nod and kissed his head.

"Goodnight, Danny." Garrett smiled to Danny who's eyes widened to meet him.

"'nite Papa."

Sam and Garrett watched Alexis and Danny round the corner to the back hallway, before turning to each other, "I'm sorry Danny interrupted…"

"Interrupted?" Her father protested, motioning for Sam to sit down ,"Not at all. It was my pleasure to hear 'Goodnight Moon' in the style of Alexis Davis."

"Well, in that case…" Sam laughed, "You guys looked pretty good sitting here… together again."

"It felt pretty good…" Garrett winked, "So how are you doing?"

"I'm fine," She nodded.

"You sure about that?"

"Yeah, I am." She couldn't help but smile.

"Because you know you can always talk to me… about anything."

"I know…" Sam smiled, "I'm so grateful for that. I hope you know that…"

"I do…"

"I mean," Fresh tears began to sting her eyes, "I hope you know how much it means to me that you are here. That you are so open… so willing to be my dad."

"Sam, I can't even begin to tell you what it means to me to be a part of yours and Daniel's life…" He wipes his eye, "It means everything."

"To me too," She grasps his hand, smiling through her tears.

"I never thought that I would be blessed with something so wonderful at this time in my life. It's a miracle.. that I don't deserve… but I cherish it. I will never, ever take you for granted. I promise you that."

"Thank you."

Alexis stopped short of her re-entry at the sight of Sam and Garrett embracing. She could try to hold back her tears, but what good would that do, anyway… instead she will let them flow. Having just laid her precious grandson to bed after spending the most amazing night with her family, seeing Sam and her father together was the cherry on top of the cake. Life is good, if you just let it. If you just follow your heart.

The End.


End file.
